Luc(k)y In Love
by Papa Nate
Summary: They say opposites attract. They say love is blind. They also say love knows no bounds. They might just be right on all accounts, whoever 'they' is. When it comes to Fairy Tail and its members, unpredictability and mischievousness are the norm. To put it lightly, the small blossoms of romance might just bloom sooner than you think. Especially for Lucy and Natsu.
1. (Un)fortunate Events

**Here's to the New Year! About ten months ago! So anyway, I can't explain why, but I just started writing this out of nowhere and decided to post it. Who knows? I may enjoy writing once more. Plus, I have stories I desperately need to finish. For my sake and maybe for others too.**

 **Back to the topic at hand. I have been binge watching Fairy Tail nonstop for the past year or so and I have to say, it's a new favorite of mine. And once I started to read the manga, my whole world flipped! I won't give any spoilers, but let me just say, I look forward to next year when a new season is supposed to come out.**

* * *

Magnolia. A decent sized town home to many strange yet wonderful people. Whether you're looking for a nice place to settle down or delightful tourist attraction, you'd find more than your fair share of excitement.

"You smell that, Happy? Finally back home!" Natsu said with a large, toothy grin.

"Aye sir!" Happy chimed back, an equally goofy grin on his face.

Natsu Dragneel. A cocky, big-mouthed wizard who had a way of making people smile. Despite his brash outside, he always had a soft spot for his friends. That's no surprise though. Flying to his right was his dedicated partner Happy. Happy was a blue cat, or more accurately, he was part of a race of human-like cat people known as Exceeds.

"Yeah, I have to say, no matter how long we leave, it always feels great to come back to good old Magnolia."

"You two are sure in good moods. Something to look forward to?" asked Erza, one of their teammates. Erza was one of their regular partners as well as one their closest friends. Not to mention, a kind of big sister of sorts.

"You know it! It's been about a month since we've been back to the guild hall. Not to mention, all of our friends we've missed."

"Or the food!" Hearing the word food made all three stomachs growl in displeasure.

"It will be nice to have some of Mira's cooking again. Or maybe I should stop by the bakery to get another cake. Oh, what am I saying! I'll just get both!"

To clarify, Natsu, Happy and Erza had set out to take on a rather puzzling job. Unfortunately for the three, none of their other comrades could come along. The description on the flyer made the job seem easy enough. It wasn't even that far away. A couple hours away at the most. And yet, they had spent just under a month in that little village. Turns out, getting rid of rats smart enough to use magic was more challenging than any had thought.

Natsu laughed to himself. "Normally I'd think you're crazy, but with all this dough we got, we got money to spare!" He started thinking about all the different treats they were going to get when he stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh jeez! I almost forgot." He turned and took off the other way. "Go on ahead, Erza. I gotta do a few things first."

"How strange. Oh well. He's always up to something. Why aren't you going with him, Happy?"

"He mentioned something earlier about this, but said he wanted to do it alone."

"Now that really is strange. He never goes anywhere without you. Any ideas on what he could be doing?"

"Beats me. All I know is I'm hungry and there's a fishie with my name on it!"

Erza and Happy continued down the street. They both let out a comfortable sigh when the guild hall came into view.

"There it is. Fairy Tail. Our home," Erza said to no one in particular.

"Betcha I'll beat you there, Miss Titania!"

She scoffed. "A challenge from a cat? How insulting."

Erza arrived at the guild hall and opened the doors well before Happy, who was struggling to keep up.

"Erza's back!" shouted the entire guild.

"Erza, it's so good to see you!" said Mirajane, with her iconic smile. She walked out from behind the bar to greet her friend.

"Yeah, it feels like forever since we last saw you." Wendy ran over and gave Erza a big hug. She looked up at her older teammate, smiling contently.

"Carla, my love! I have returned unharmed bearing stories of my bravery and heroics!" Happy shouted at the white feline, soaring through air a bit too fast.

"That's quite enough, Tom Cat. I'm willing to bet all you did was complain and whine the whole time."

Happy stopped dead in his tracks. "Why are you so cruel to me, Carla?"

"She knows you all too well, Happy."

"Is that Happy? And Erza?" a familiar voice called across the hall. "It is!" Lucy ran over to the two weary travelers. "Erza! Happy! It's so good to see you guys! How did the job go?" Lucy was as cheerful as ever. She dawned her usual outfit with her hair down completely instead of up in ponytails.

"About what you'd expect. Unfortunately, our client couldn't come pick us up like he said he would, but I don't mind taking the train. Natsu, on the other hand, was barfing and groaning the whole way."

That got an uproar of laughter. "Speaking of which, where is that flame-for-brains anyway?" questioned Gray, missing all but his boxers.

"He ran off shortly after we got into town. He said something about having something to do. By the way, you might want to do something about your little friend," Erza said, pointing downward.

"Ah crap! Not again!" Gray shuffled around and threw his clothes back on, embarrassed he was caught not with his pants down, but with them completely off. Not to mention Little Gray wanted to come out to play for some weird reason. "Sorry about that. Natsu didn't say anything about where he was going?"

"Not a word. Now that you mention it, after we got off the train, he recovered rather quickly. You know how pathetic he can be after a train ride." Erza requipped into some comfier clothes and sat down at the table, followed by Lucy, Gray and Wendy.

"Eh, who knows what he's up to? He tell you anything, Happy?"

"He kept blabbing about taking care of business when we got back, whatever that means." Happy took a bite of a fish seemingly pulled out of nowhere. "He did a lot of talking about Lucy though," he said with his usual sarcastic tone.

Lucy blushed, causing the others to gawk at her. "W-what did he say?" she managed to get out.

Erza looked at her, an evil looked in her eye. "I believe he said something like, 'Oh, I simply cannot wait until I have my dear Lucy back in my arms! I want to cuddle and kiss her for the rest of eternity!' Or something like that."

"That is so not what he said!" Lucy yelled with a red face, earning another burst of laughter.

"Yeah, you're right. It was actually like this. 'Her body is perfect, skin so smooth, hair so fragrant! I just want to bury my face in her huge b-"

"That's quite enough!" Carla said, smacking Happy.

"Better watch out, Happy. Carla hasn't had anyone to beat on since you left," Macao said from his usual spot.

"Yeah. Poor girl was starting to get weak just waiting for you," added Wakaba, smoking his cigar.

"You know what they say. Love...hurts..," muttered the blue cat, shrinking down in pain.

"Jokes aside, I'm really curious. What exactly was Natsu saying about me?" asked Lucy. Even though it was only a few weeks, it felt like a lifetime since she had seen her best friend. Interestingly enough, she only ever thought of him as friend. At least, that's what she constantly told herself.

Erza smirked. "About what you'd expect. He would always point out things you'd like or how much fun you would've had. Small things mostly. Although, there was one thing in particular that made me wonder..."

Lucy leaned forward in suspense. "Well?"

"Oh never mind. It was probably just my imagination."

"Are you serious?" Lucy yelled back. "Oh come on. Just tell me already!"

"What's the matter, Lucy? The thought of Natsu having mushy thoughts about you making you feel fuzzy inside?" Erza questioned, teasing her younger counterpart.

Lucy turned bright red and freaked out a bit. "What? Me? No! Of course not! As if!" She was definitely sure Natsu was only just a friend. No way she could like him. Absolutely 100% no.

"You _love_ him," mocked Happy.

"I've about had enough of you already, cat!" Lucy sighed and put her head down. She should be used to this by now, but dealing with that crazed cat was not on her list of hobbies.

"Calm down. He probably just said something about food. Natsu's not exactly a clever guy."

"Shut up, Gray. Go make out with Juvia again." Even though Lucy was trying to uphold the image of being a curious friend, it seemed she couldn't resist standing up for her said 'friend.'

"I told you a hundred times, it was an accident!"

'My darling Gray's lips on mine! Oh, the sheer bliss from that one moment...' thought Juvia, peeking out from behind the request board.

"It seems love is in the air here lately. Tell me, Lucy. If you're not interested in Natsu, why do you want to know so badly? And why so defensive?"

Lucy tried her hardest not to blush. "Alright, I'll tell you. Before you guys left, he pretty much begged me to come. I already agreed to go with Levy and Lisanna on their mission so I didn't want to be rude. It was nice change of pace, you know? He did seem pretty downhearted. So to try and make it up to him, I told him he could help me with my birthday coming up. It's next week. I was just wondering if he mentioned any plans he might have."

"That seems a bit selfish," Erza said, gesturing at Mira. "I'll have some water please, if you don't mind Mira."

"Coming right up!" Mira called back with a happy tone.

"The main reason he wanted me to go was to spend some time with me. I know it's probably just my imagination, but it just seems off for someone like Natsu."

"Ah, I see. The fact of the matter is you want to know if Natsu gave any insight to his plans for your birthday. Is that right?"

"As close as I'll get to it, I guess." Lucy pretty much already said that, but Erza could be just as clueless as Natsu at times.

"Alright. Well, the answer is... I don't really know for sure. All he said was, 'I can't wait to see the look on her face.' The 'her' presumably being you."

Lucy's eye twitched. "Wait a minute. Did he say it in his normal, mischievous voice or an actual caring one? The last time he kept saying stuff about a 'her,' it was only Virgo." On top of all that, it made her feel like a total moron.

"Trust me. He had this look in his eye. One I've never seen. But a good look. Not a prankster type look," mumbled Happy through chewing his fish.

Lucy put her hand on her chin. "Maybe I should go talk to him. Ask him for myself."

"If you want, I could always talk to him," said Lisanna from behind. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. If Natsu is planning something, it'd be best if you didn't know. Even though a surprise party would be predictable, Natsu wouldn't exactly know that." She gave a caring smile with kind eyes.

"Yeah, but still. I really want to know."

"I have an idea," Wendy said. "How about when Lisanna goes to talk to him, we hide and listen in on the conversation."

"That's a brilliant idea!" Lucy got up with her fist ready. "Alright let's do this!"

"Hold on a minute. You don't even know where he is. He could be anywhere." Gray got up and walked to the bar, followed by the others. "Where is he normally?"

Erza grabbed a light pen and made a rough sketch of Magnolia. "Here at the guild hall, his house or Lucy's apartment. Or somewhere else on a mission." Erza muttered something under her breath. She marked the three mentioned places with red X's. "These will represent Natsu. Go to your apartment, Lucy. If he's there, just act natural. He may be a dimwit, but he can always tell when someone is acting different. Happy, you go back home. Just say you're putting away your share of the money if he asks anything. Gray, you and I will wait here in case he shows up."

Lisanna moved forward. "What about me? Aren't I supposed to be the one talking to him?"

"Ah yes." Erza marked a few streets. "Go patrol the town. You know his mannerisms. He normally takes these roads when going anywhere. If you think he might be somewhere, go there. You tag along with her for now, Wendy. It'll make things seem more natural."

"You guys need a real man to help out!" Elfman hollered in their direction.

"Alright, Elfman. You can wait here with us. Start a fight with Natsu or something. We have to make things feel normal."

"Wait a minute, guys. Why are we doing this all of a sudden? You just got back and now you're all eager about Lucy's birthday?" Leave it to Gray to be the cold one.

"It's not like it's a hard task. Besides, if I had known about Lucy's birthday sooner, I would have handled the plans myself!" Erza looked off into the distance, pride in her eyes.

"What's with all this commotion?" Master Makarov came down from upstairs to see Erza and the others arguing among themselves. "Oh, Erza. I didn't realize you'd returned. Good to have you back safely." He hopped on the bar. He glanced at the map, but brushed it off. "I take it the mission was a success?"

"It went well, Master. Took a bit longer than we had hoped, but better late than never."

"I trust Natsu behaved this time?" With 'wonderful' children like Natsu, it's a wonder Makarov hadn't keeled over into an early grave.

Erza glanced around nervously. "Well... yes and no."

Master Makarov turned pale, his face twisting into a grimace. "What did that little pyromaniac do this time...?"

"He... destroyed most of the village."

Makarov went completely limp, falling to the ground with a defeated sigh. "I'll never be able to retire...never..."

"Eh heh... There is a bit of good news. Since the houses were infested with super termites, as well as those nasty rats, they were scheduled for demolition soon after. Natsu destroying something was actually a good thing for once." Erza took a deep breath. "Alright, back to the topic at hand."

"Let's do it, guys! Operation Fire Bug is a go!" Lucy put her hair up in her normal ponytails, ready to take off.

Gray let out a snicker. "Operation Fire bug? Is that really the best you could come up with?"

"Alright, wise guy. You think of something." Lucy stared at the ice wizard, hands on her hips, tapping her foot impatiently.

"How about Operation Follow The Flame?"

"Who cares what it's called? Let's just do this!" Lisanna started to walk towards the door. Still looking behind her, she ran into someone, falling on the floor.

"Oh, whoops. Sorry, Lisanna." Natsu stood there in the doorway, looking completely ordinary. The others stared at him, all shocked at his sudden appearance. Lucy was especially shocked. He helped Lisanna stand and looked at his friends. "I miss something?"

"Psst... say something..." Gray whispered, nudging Erza.

"Oh... You see... The thing is..."

"There you are Salamander! I've been waiting for you!" Gajeel had ignored the others' yammering, but couldn't resist the urge to challenge the pink-haired idiot. He did still care about his other friends, but who said they needed to know?

"Butt out, Metal Head! Can't you see I'm busy here?" Natsu yelled back.

"You too scared to take on a real Dragon Slayer?"

"You wanna go, Tin Man?"

"Bring it on, Charcoal Breath!"

"That's quite enough, children." Erza walked in between the two, pushing them both back. "Gajeel, do us all a favor and go chew on some screws."

"Sheesh. Crazy woman."

Erza scoffed. "Anyway, we were just discussing the next big event. With the Fantasia Parade around the corner, we need to made a plan of action."

"But that stuff's so boring. Can't we find something else to do?" Natsu sat down, his head low. Almost immediately after, he shot back up. "Oh well. Guess it beats doing nothing." He walked over to the others. He looked at Lucy and smiled. "Hey, Lucy. Long time, no see."

Lucy's heart started racing. 'Oh no! What should I say? Hey pal, how are ya? No, that's not it. Howdy do Natsu! That's not it either. Ahhh, I can't think under pressure!' "Oh, yeah. No kidding. How was the trip?"

"Good enough. I got to eat some pretty tasty stuff! Not mention I'm richer than I was before." He moved closer to her, purposefully pushing Gray out of the way. He leaned in closely and whispered, "Hey, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind waiting up for me tonight? I plan on stopping by a bit later."

His breath on her ear made the little hairs on the back her neck stand on edge. For someone so noisy, his voice was soft and smooth. She put her hand to her cheek. Without a second thought, she blushed once again. "Oh, uh... Yeah sure. Just come by whenever."

Natsu didn't understand the meaning of the word subtlety. Most of the wandering eyes had witnessed his little gesture and the whispers had already started. "He _loves_ you!" Happy yelled.

"Come on, buddy! Don't go starting that again." He tried to hide his embarrassment by walking over to the bar, but was caught off guard by the floating light map. "What the heck is this thing supposed to be?" The others tensed up, hoping that Natsu's denseness was enough. "This looks like Magnolia." His eyes studied the map. "Oh well." The rest of them let out a sigh of relief.

Lisanna winked at the others and motioned them to move away. Now was the perfect time to start pressing Natsu for answers. Doing as they were told, they all pretended to do other things. All except Lucy, whose heart was skipping beats, mind running rampant. "Lucy, get going. I'll handle the rest," Lisanna whispered, but to no avail. Lucy was trapped in her own mind.

'What could it be? No no no! I'm not falling for this trick twice! It's probably nothing. I'm just overreacting is all.' Despite telling herself otherwise, Lucy's mind kept going back to the possibility of it actually being something important. Something... special.

Lisanna walked over and gave Lucy a light nudge. "Hey, what are you doing? Get out of here. You're still being stared at."

Lucy suddenly snapped back to reality. She looked around and noticed the pressing eyes locked on her. Knowing that she would flooded with questions regardless of her actions, she turned around and sat next to Natsu, effectively screwing up the last minute plan. "Oh man..." She looked at Natsu. Lisanna shook her head, sitting at the table with her brother.

Natsu was about to tear into a nice sandwich Mira made for him, but paused when he noticed Lucy looking at him. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Lucy banged her head on the bar, forehead hitting with a bit more force than intended. "Ouch..." She raised up again and started to rub her aching head.

Natsu had to stifle a giggle. He moved a little closer. The silence of the guild hall was almost deafening. "Mind your own business!" Natsu yelled out. The rest of the guild started chatting again. Although some, especially Erza and the others, were still listening intently. "What's on your mind, Lucy?" he questioned before attacking his sandwich ravishingly.

"Oh I don't know. That was just a little weird a second ago." She glanced back at him.

"What was weird? What I said to you?" Natsu had a bad habit of talking with his mouth full. Lucy sighed, got a napkin, and wiped off his face. "Hey, what are doing? I can do that myself."

"Hold still. You have mustard on your nose." Despite his protests, she kept trying to wipe off Natsu's nose. "Hold still. I almost got it."

Without warning, Natsu reached down to Lucy's sides and started tickling her. Lucy began to laugh uncontrollably while simultaneously reaching for Natsu's nose. "If you want to be like that, I can play dirty too!" He moved his hands to her armpits, which made her squeal and cackle.

"Natsu! Stop it! I'm gonna... Pee myself!" She managed to get out through her spurts of laughter. Finally, she squirmed free, but started to fall off her bar stool. Without thinking, Natsu stood to catch her. Lucy hadn't realized what she was doing. She grabbed Natsu's scarf to try and catch herself, only to end up on the floor with Natsu landing on top of her.

"What on God's green Earth are you children doing?" Master Makarov shouted at them.

Natsu's right hand had somehow found itself latched to Lucy's breast. His left was behind Lucy's head, cradling it a bit forward. And his lips were on hers.

The scene caused everyone in the guild to spit out their drinks and choke on their food. For what seemed like an eternity, the two wizards stared wide eyed at each other, not realizing their lips were both puckered. They broke apart, a small string of saliva coming from the corners of their mouths, but continued their gaze. That's when Lucy noticed Natsu hand was still attached. Natsu freaked out and was about to apologize, but was cut short with a fist to the face. "Natsu, you pervert!" She kicked him back to the bar and took off as fast she could towards her apartment.

Natsu wasn't even phased by the punch or kick. He was still in shock at the chance occurrence. He eyed his friends who were all staring daggers. "Uh... that was... unexpected..." The guys' dead glare turned into smirks.

"Way to go, Hot Head," Gray taunted.

* * *

Lucy stormed in her apartment and slammed the door behind her. Out of breath and utterly in awe, she sank to her knees and did the only thing that she could manage. She began to tear up and cry. She didn't know what to think. It all happened so fast. In the blink of an eye, she was on the floor with her pink-haired friend on top her. _Kissing her._ Also, trying to be slick by copping a feel. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the ceiling. "What am I gonna do now?" she said to herself.

A knock sounded behind her. "Lucy? You in there?" Natsu's voice came from behind the door.

She stood up and wiped her face as best as she could. Reluctantly, she opened to door to see Natsu, hand behind his head, face flushed. "Yeah. What is it?" Before he could speak, she turned around abruptly and walked over to her bed, falling face first in the pillow.

Natsu walked through the door, shutting it behind him. He sat on floor in front of her bed and looked at her. "Sorry about what happened back there. It was an accident." He couldn't help but fidget with the little string coming up from the rug.

Lucy inhaled deeply before letting out an exasperated sigh. She lifted her face off the pillow and looked at him. He had a welt on his cheek and the mustard was still on the tip of his nose. Great. Now he was probably pissed at her. "I..." she paused before continuing, "I'm sorry I hit you."

He glanced up at her, trying to hide his face from Lucy's watchful gaze. "It's fine. I deserved that." His tone sounded off. Maybe sad or angry or just plain old embarrassed.

Lucy sighed again, the awkward tension getting the best of her. Not wanting to seem weak, she stood up. "Well, I hope you're happy! That was my first kiss, you know. I was saving it for the right guy and you had to go and take it for yourself," Lucy acted out. She knew it was a long shot, but maybe it would fool Natsu.

He looked up at the blond haired girl before smiling shyly. "It was mine too, you know." He stood up and sat on the bed, rubbing his cheek. "This may not be the best time, but I do still want to talk to you about something."

'Oh yeah. I forgot about that..' Lucy huffed and sat the bed next to him, crossing her arms and legs in an attempt to show him she was angry. Of course, in her mind, all she could think about was the whole incident played on repeat. "You still have mustard on your nose." She reached forward to wipe it off, but Natsu quickly grabbed her hand. Desperately trying not to blush, Lucy put on the best scowl she could muster.

"Lucy, I..."

"Just hold still for half a second." She reached over and grabbed a tissue, finally ridding his nose of the yellow condiment.

He looked up at her, his face blank. "I think I have an idea for your birthday," he said, giving his signature grin. He stopped and noticed he still had a hold of her hand. Lucy's eyes followed his. They both quickly retracted their hands and looked away for a moment.

Lucy looked at him again. "What did you have in mind?" she said curiously.

As if forgetting the awkward situation at hand, Natsu stood up. "Alright, so get this! While on the road, I managed to snag some Akane Resort tickets!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden tickets of pleasure.

"But we've already been there before. Plus after the last incident that happened there..."

"No no, you're not getting it. They've changed it all up! New attractions, top of line slot machines, and they even added an all new building dedicated to nothing but food! Plus, I don't know how you are with rides there, but I've heard that added some more of those too."

"But you hate roller coasters and stuff."

"This isn't about me. This is about you! It's your birthday coming up after all."

Lucy smiled. 'You know, Natsu really isn't a bad guy. He's kind, caring, considerate, loyal, brave, strong, heroic, handsome, funny and- Wait a minute, what am I saying? He's not really _that_ handsome.' And yet, when she looked up at him, still blabbing away, she began to see the passion in his eyes. He looked so determined. Birthdays weren't anything special to her. Nothing really exciting happened on any of her previous ones. For some reason though, she thought it was a good idea to mention it to Natsu. Boy was she right. She caught herself staring at him in a totally new way and shook her had to clear her mind. "That's so sweet of you. How many tickets did you get? Hopefully enough for all of us, right?"

Natsu stopped. His face had been flushed before, but now his face was turning a darker shade of red. "Well, you see. That's kind of the catch here. I only got two." Lucy looked at him with raised eyebrows. "That's the whole point of me talking to you alone. I didn't want the others to get jealous. And since that awkwardness at the guild hall happened, it feels like a lost cause. You already said you were mad at me."

"Just the two of us?" she muttered. She began to ponder the situation. "You know, it wasn't that bad. I mean you're so careless sometimes. Let's be honest here, you've accidentally touched my boobs before." She stopped to share a small giggle, Natsu slightly wincing in between short chuckles. 'Not to mention seeing me naked like it was a daily routine,' she thought to herself. "After all we've been through, so what if we kissed? I mean, we're still friends right?"

Natsu perked up a bit. "Yeah, you're right. I mean, we already almost kissed once before, so what's the big deal?" Lucy thought about that. A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

"Come to think of it, you ended up kissing Happy instead of me. So really, Happy was your first kiss."

Natsu deadpanned. "No way! That doesn't count! He's a cat! And a boy!"

"Ah ah ah. That's not how those things work. The only ones that can't be considered a first kiss are family members."

"Oh yeah, well I raised Happy. Not to mention, we grew up together. So he's like my son or brother or something."

Lucy giggled at him. He was kind of cute when he was all pouty. Spending some time alone with him would be nice. Even if she was still in denial about everything. "Alright then, when are we leaving?"


	2. (Un)reliable Friends

**Y'all are in luck! I wrote the next chapter in a few days and not a century or two like I have in the past.**

 **It does have some more language, but still only rated T. If you're expecting juicier aspects later on... Well, you may be right, but for now! It's staying T!**

* * *

"What's the big deal? It's not like he meant to do it," Gray told the hoard of girls crowding around each other.

"Shut up, Gray! Did you see the way they were staring into each others eyes? That was definitely something!"

"What's gotten into you, Erza? Normally Mira is the one playing matchmaker."

"Just because I'm a powerful wizard doesn't mean I'm against love. I am first and foremost a woman. A guy could never understand what goes on in our heads. The thought of romance and passion is enough to fuel a woman into a sense of unwavering determination!"

"Erza's gone crazier than usual," Happy said with a look of amusement.

"Tell me about it. What does being a wizard have to do with being a woman? Mira is S class just Erza, but you don't see her freaking out."

"Oh my goodness! I never thought Natsu would be so bold! Kissing Lucy in front on everybody like that."

"I think you spoke too soon," muttered the blue feline.

"How are you not totally jealous, Lisanna?" Cana said, newly awake from being passed out drunk.

"It's not like I'm worried or anything. Yeah, I do still have some feelings for him, but I was gone for so long. It was a hard pill to swallow. He thought I was gone for good. Besides, I know Lucy will treat him right."

"How mature of you. Lulu may not want to admit it, but every time Natsu is brought up, she lights up with this glow." Levy sat down at the nearest table, followed by Erza, Cana, Lisanna, Mira and Juvia. Wendy and few others, sat at the table next to them. "Now, when Natsu is anywhere near her, she gets so happy."

"I've seen it too. Lucy hasn't been another team without Natsu. Except for here recently that is," Mira added.

Erza snickered. "You should've seen him on the trip. The first few days he was just moping around, acting totally different from his usual self. When he finally perked back up, that's all he would do is talk about Lucy."

"It seems we've come to a conclusion then. Lucy can have Natsu and stay away from my darling Gray!"

"You do realize we weren't even talking about Gray, right?"

* * *

"Unbelievable."

"What do you mean? I saw it coming a mile away. The way he's attached to Lucy's hip should've been the biggest clue. You should take a page out of Natsu's book, Gajeel."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Gajeel countered.

"Come on, man. You and Levy. It's kind of obvious." Elfman really didn't have any room to talk.

"I don't need advice from you, bub."

Elfman smirked. "A real man would just own up to it already."

"Is that so? Why don't you just tell Evergreen you're crazy about her?"

"What? It's not like that!"

"After all that talk about being a real man, you're just gonna back out of it?"

"Just cool your jets, fellas. This isn't the time to be fighting," encouraged Bixlow.

"He's right. After all, Natsu may have just gotten the upper hand on us all."

"What are you going on about, Freed? He ain't done nothing but grab a good piece of ass!" Gajeel exclaimed dramatically.

"Think about it. Natsu is already a lot stronger than some of us. Now that he could potentially have a girlfriend, it'll motivate him to push even harder. He'll try to impress her. Plus, he already fights for all his friends. When someone insults, or worse, tries to harm us, he goes into extreme battle mode. Imagine him fighting for the girl he loves most of all. He'll surpass everyone in the blink of an eye." Freed walked over to Gajeel. "Are you going to let Natsu get stronger than you just because of a girl?"

"Look at you pansies, gossiping and matchmaking like a bunch of girls." Laxus gave a hearty laugh. "Just face it. Who cares what Natsu does? So the little punk actually grew a pair of balls and made his move on Lucy. Big whoop."

Gray got up and walked over to the other guys. Once again, he managed to lose most of his clothes. "That's rich coming from you."

Laxus glared at the half-naked wizard. "What did you say?"

"Face it. You know the only reason you're such a jerk is because Mirajane rejected you."

Laxus stood abruptly. "What do you know of it, huh? That was ages ago and I've moved on. You don't have any right to criticize me when you've never even had a girlfriend."

"I wouldn't say that. The way Juvia's been hung over Ice Boy here, you know he's hitting it behind the scenes." Gajeel stood up, facing the other two, a dastardly smirk plastered on his face.

"How do we know you haven't been defiling poor, defenseless Levy?" Jet and Droy said in unison, popping into the conversation.

Laxus scoffed. "Why are we still talking about this? Just change the subject already. All this talk about nonsense is giving me a headache."

* * *

"Whoa. These aren't just ordinary tickets. These are VIP access tickets." Lucy gazed in awe. The way she cradled them ever so delicately made the tickets seem as priceless as some ancient artifacts. "Natsu, how did you get these? I know these things aren't cheap."

Natsu was sitting at Lucy's desk, hands behind his head in a comfortable manner. "What do you mean? I just thought they were normal tickets. They were only 1000 jewel a piece."

Lucy went wide eyed. "What?" Lucy nearly flipped out of her chair. "Do you have any idea what this means? No one in their right mind would sell VIP access tickets for that price! They were probably stolen!"

"Calm down. I bought 'em from that Sorcerer Magazine guy. James or whatever his name was."

"You mean Jason?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. He was selling them for a whole lot more, but gave me a discount because I was 'so cool.'"

"That must've been one heck of a discount."

"I guess so." Natsu yawned. "I didn't realize how tired I was. That trip was torture."

Lucy smiled. "You say that every time you ride on the train. Or any vehicle, for that matter." She stood and walked over to him. "Hey, stand up for a second."

Natsu looked up at her, a look of confusion in his eyes. "What for?" he asked.

Lucy looked into his eyes, trying not to blush. "Just do it."

Natsu shrugged and stood up. "Alright, I'm standing. Now wha-"

Lucy interrupted him with a huge embrace. Natsu was caught off guard. Before too long, he wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug. He breathed in through his nose deeply, catching the scent of Lucy's hair. It smelled of cherry blossoms and agave nectar, along with a hint of rosemary. He shifted his attention to her scent overall. He inhaled once more. She smelled like her. With a dash of sweet fragrance. Was she wearing perfume? Whatever it was, it made him excited. His grip on her tightened, but not enough to cause discomfort.

For another few minutes, they stayed locked in each others' arms. Eventually, Lucy pushed Natsu away gently and looked up at him. "That was... nice."

Natsu looked away, a pink hue standing out on his cheeks. "What was that about anyway?"

Lucy cracked a big smile. "I just wanted to thank you. Even though you were on a job, you still thought of me."

"Well yeah. We're a team! It didn't feel right. With you not there, it just wasn't the same. I forgot how much of a handful Erza could be when we're all alone."

Lucy laughed, putting her hand on her chest. "Some would say the same about you, you know?" She sat on the bed, looking at the tickets again. "I'm still in shock about these. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anxious."

Natsu walked closer and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Ah, don't worry, Lucy. I'll be there with you."

"Just the two of us?" she asked, a bit more hopeful than intended.

"Just the two of us."

Lucy grinned. "I think I'd like that." Setting the tickets down beside her, her face went from excited and happy, to a frown.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Lucy sighed. "I don't know. It just feels selfish. Here we are, about to go on a vacation while the others stay behind and work. I just wish they could get some sort of break too, you know?

"Oh Lucy. You're too nice. I'm sure they'll be fine. Remember, it's not about them." He took his arm down and reached for Lucy's hand, taking it softly. "This is about you."

Lucy brimmed even brighter than before. She stood up and made a fist, a look of pride as well as humbleness in her eyes. "Maybe I should be selfish this one time. After all, it's not like it's anything major." Not realizing Natsu still had a hold of her hand, she jumped on the bed ecstatically. "This is gonna be so great!" She jumped a bit too high, dragging Natsu on the bed. She slipped on Natsu's scarf, falling onto the bed, Natsu moving out the way. He ended banging his head on the wall, falling over. He winced in pain. He opened his eyes, staring directly into Lucy's, their faces mere inches away. Lucy let out a sharp gasp. She looked over and noticed their hands still intertwined. She turned back and saw Natsu looking at her intently. He leaned in closer... closer... closer... and then he-

"I KNEW IT!" shouted three voices outside the window.

The two wizards looked in shock to find Happy, Carla and Pantherlily floating just beyond the window. Happy was covering his mouth, trying not to laugh, Carla was blushing, trying to look away, and Lily had look of amusement on his face.

Lucy glanced at her hand, still in Natsu's, back to his face, to the Exceeds and back to the hands. She blushed and yelled. "It's not what it looks like!" She quickly squirmed her way out from under Natsu and ran to the other wall, her face flushed a deep red. "Natsu! Get your stupid cat out of here!"

Natsu chuckled. "It was only an accident. Not like you wanted me to do anything." Natsu scratched his head, his thoughts drifting off to very dangerous territory.

"Yeah, but.. I..." Lucy was speechless. That caught her off guard. The fact that Natsu would say something like that implied he would have thought of something like that. At least once.

Happy smirked, coming inside, the others following suit. "You really do love him, don't you Lucy?" Happy taunted.

"So what if she does? I think love is grand thing. Reminds of the time I had a girlfriend back in Edolas."

"Please, you two. We were wrong to come here. We've obviously invaded their privacy."

Natsu eyed the talking felines, but shrugged it off. "What do you say we go back to the guild and break the news to everyone?"

Carla gasped. "The Tom Cat was right! You two really are in love!"

"This news. Could it be they're going to tell everyone they've been secretly dating?" Lily inquired.

"What are you guys even talking about? Me and Lucy are just going on a trip for her birthday. We're not dating or anything."

"Mmhmm. Why is your face all red? Does wittle Natsu have a cwushy-wushy?" Happy continued to taunt.

"Cut it out, Happy!" Lucy and Natsu yelled simultaneously.

"Whatever you say," Happy said, laughing to himself.

"You wouldn't believe the uproar you two have started in the guild hall. It's madness back there."

"Is there a fight going on?" Natsu asked intriguingly.

"There wasn't when we left, but who knows? Gajeel and Laxus looked ready to rumble."

"Why did you leave in the first place?" Lucy asked the cats.

"It was all a bunch of nonsense!" Carla exclaimed. "The girls kept gossiping about you, Lucy. And the guys kept talking about how having a girlfriend makes you more powerful. Two foolish topics whichever way you look at it."

"Oh boy. This is gonna be trouble for sure." Lucy put her hand on her head.

"Eh, I'm not too worried about it. Rumors spread through the guild like wildfire all the time. Wouldn't be the first one about me. Or the first about you either." Natsu chuckled, patting Lucy's head softly.

Lucy looked up, her eyes turning defensive. "What do you mean 'not the first?'"

"Oh please. The way you cling yourself to Natsu, you'd think someone would've noticed. It doesn't take an imbecile to assume you've got a thing for him."

"Just spill it already. I'll even show you how it's done!" Happy got on one knee, taking Carla's paw. "Carla. I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. The way you moved so elegantly made my heart flutter."

"Not a chance," she deadpanned.

"It was worth a shot. You tried your best." Lily picked up his blue friend, standing him up. Apparently Carla's words were enough to stun him to the point of near unconsciousness.

Happy snapped out of it. "See? It wasn't that bad," Happy stated, his face dripping in tears.

"Oh good grief. For the last time," Lucy retorted, "There's nothing going on between us."

"Yeah, just knock it off already. It's getting old."

"I don't know. You two sure looked ready to make out a moment ago."

Natsu scoffed. "Alright, you caught us. We've been dating for a few months now. Happy, Happy?"

"That was fast!" the Exceed squad chimed in unison.

"Natsu!" Lucy yelled in protest.

Natsu moved over to Lucy. He leaned in and whispered, "Just go with it. We'll tell them what they want to hear, so they'll leave us alone."

"This is such a bad idea on so many levels. What if we're found out?"

"So what? They'll get over it. Besides, who's gonna believe a few flying fur balls anyway?"

* * *

'Only the entire guild,' Lucy thought to herself. Shortly after the conclusion with Happy and the others, they decided to go back to the guild hall to break the news, both the real and fake news.

Natsu walked in, towing Lucy behind him. His grin was bigger than the moon itself. He picked up Lucy bridle style and walked through their friends, looks of shock and amusement on each and every face. Lucy buried her face in Natsu's chest, not wanting the others to see her embarrassment. She glanced up at Natsu's face. He was actually sweating. Was he nervous? Or maybe, he was just as embarrassed as she was. What did that mean?

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag." Natsu walked over to his normal table, setting Lucy down in her spot, before scooting in next to her.

"And just when were you going to tell us?" Erza questioned, banging her fist on the table.

"Yeah, we're a team. It would've been nice to know," Gray added, irritable as ever.

"I think we all would've liked to know," Wendy said, chiming in innocently.

Gajeel smirked. "So Salamander, I didn't know you were into all that lovey-dovey stuff."

Natsu clenched his fists, holding back his insults. "Yeah, yeah, get it out now. I have half a mind to beat the snot out of you, you walking trash can." Natsu yawned, stretching his arms way above his head, and putting one arm around Lucy, getting all sorts of comments thrown his direction. "We've only been steady for couple months or something like that."

'Oh Natsu... this is so embarrassing,' Lucy thought to herself.

Erza made a mischievous grin. She sat across from the 'love-birds.' "After all that constant denial, it turns out I was right again." She lean forward, resting her chin on the backs of her hands, arms propped up by her elbows. "How interesting."

Lucy looked at Erza, face crimson. "Uh... yeah..." Lucy muttered out, barely able to keep eye contact. She glanced at Natsu again. His face was nearly as red as hers. What was going on inside his mind?

"My darling! That blonde bimbo has Natsu! Now we can be together without any interruptions!" Juvia told Gray, running up to him. She jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Easy, easy." Gray said, catching her. Not really because he wanted to, but he did still care for her. Maybe not in the way she'd like, but it is still a form of affection.

* * *

Mirajane walked over to Cana. "Oh my goodness. I can't believe this!" Mira was fidgeting and bouncing with anticipation. "It's almost unreal."

Cana finished the rest of her wine, tipping the entire bottle all the way up, swallowing with several gulps. "Seriously. Who would've thought Natsu, the brash idiot, would land such an amazing catch? Not me, that's for sure."

"I know right! It does seem a bit weird though. He's been acting strange since they walked in."

Cana had already found another bottle of mysterious alcohol, drinking it selfishly. "Whatta ya mean?" Cana said, words starting to slur.

"Think about. Natsu being embarrassed about something. I've never seen it. It's unheard of! And yet, look at his face. Red as a tomato."

Cana looked over. Sure enough, his face was bright red. His eyes kept darting from place to place, not once landing on his supposed girlfriend. "Lu's face is all red too." Cana snapped. "That's it. I think I have a plan. Hand me that bottle of expensive sake."

* * *

"So tell me. When did this happen? I know you said a few months, but like what exact date?" Gray pried. "I'm not really asking pyro here. You'd be the one to remember, Lucy."

Lucy panicked, her face still red, a weird frown smirk on it. "Uh..."

"Come now. I can remember the second, minute, hour, day, month, year, millennium and era when I first craved the affection of my perfect popsicle! Surely you can about your... warm friend."

Natsu looked away, not sure if he should be insulted or complimented. "I don't really see why it's any of your business," he retorted coldly.

"It's my business because we're a team! I don't want to be in the middle of a battle, while you and Lucy are behind some tree making babies!"

'Making... babies?!' Juvia thought, her head spinning.

"That's quite enough. But Gray is right. This might affect the way we handle business." Erza scowled at the two. She locked eyes with Lucy, making her flinch.

Before she could grill the two any longer, Cana stumbled over, the bottle of sake in her hand. "Chill out guys. This is the time to celebrate!" She put the bottle of sake down, bringing out a few sake glasses with it.

"Are you crazy?" Gray said exasperated.

Cana smirked. "I haven't even said anything yet."

"Every time you bring out sake, you want to play some sort of drinking game."

Cana made an evil laugh. "You know me too well. But today is a bit different. Sake is for special occasions. Natsu and Lucy's bombshell seems reason enough to me."

The two mentioned before looked at the bottle. "I think I'll pass," Natsu said straight forward.

"The last time I drank sake was... not a good time. Natsu had to give me a piggy back ride back to my room."

Cana looked at them, making great big puppy dog eyes. "Please?" she said, her bottom lip quiver.

Natsu kept staring, not breaking his gaze. Finally, he grabbed the bottle and a glass. "One drink. One."

* * *

The entire bottle, plus a few others, later, Natsu and Lucy were laughing up a storm. Gray and Juvia sat in the corner, crying and talking about trees, and Erza was yelling at Jet and Droy... again. "So then, I told him... you can't!" Lucy wheezed, barely any sound coming out. Natsu started howling with laughter, his voice booming across the whole guild hall. Lucy's laugh finally came out, loud and high pitched. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. She doubled over and started holding her stomach. Natsu started banging on the table.

"Damn. Those two are hammered." Gajeel was sitting at the table across from the pair of hyenas, Levy sitting beside him.

"Oh Lu... she's such a lightweight. She should've known better."

Gajeel snorted. "Snowflake and Juvia are sobbing like babies. Please. Can't anyone hold their liquor?"

Cana poured three more shots. "Alright, alright. Now for the real fun. When did you two kids finally hook up?"

Natsu picked up his shot. He took it, slamming the glass back down. "This ain't nothing!" he screamed.

Lucy finally stopped laugh-crying and sat back up. "Ha. Well, like a few hours ago, I think..." She scratched her head, taking a glimpse at Natsu.

Cana raised her eyebrows. "Interesting. I thought you were dating for a few months?"

Natsu sneered at Cana. "Please. The only reason we said that was so Happy and the others would leave us alone! I mean, I wouldn't mind dating Lucy, be we're just not right now. Honestly, I have these weird dreams about her." He kept rambling about whether or not he liked Lucy, all while Cana kept pouring him shot after shot.

Lucy put her head down. "I'm so sorry we lied to you, Cana. I feel like a terrible friend." Lucy began to cry, her body shaking. Cana stifled a laugh. She continued to observe the two inebriated wizards. It was interesting. Lucy's mood changed quite fast, while Natsu was pretty much himself, only amped up a lot.

"Don't cry. It's fine. Happy can be a pain in the ass. Just let it go. We're not mad. Well, except maybe Erza."

Erza stomped over. "You lied to me?" Lucy and Natsu gawked at her, expressions of terror on their faces. "How dare you! I put my trust in you and this is how you repay me? By betraying me like this! Prepare to die!"

"I think it's about time I step in." Mira morphed into her first Satan Soul and jumped over the counter. She chopped Erza in the neck, right on a pressure point, knocking her out cold. She changed back and sat next to Cana. "Sorry about that. You know she's a passionate drunk."

"You gonna ask them, Mira?" Cana said, knowing good and well what would happen.

"Now's the time." She took a breath and said, "If you two are actually dating, why don't you kiss and prove it to us!"

Natsu was in the middle of taking a shot and Lucy was drying her eyes. Lucy looked up, eyes wide with shock. Natsu spit out his sake, spewing it all over the two girls in front of him, coughing directly after. "Are you serious?" Natsu managed to get out.

Mira wiped herself off calmly and nodded. "Absolutely."

Cana just ignored the mess and went on talking. "Just do it. It's not like we're asking you to fu-"

"You just sit back and sober up," Mira demanded. "The Natsu I know wouldn't hesitate."

"Pfft. I don't have anything to prove to you," Natsu retorted, crossing his arms.

Mira's normal smile turned into a frown. "Fine. I guess I'll just tell everyone what a liar you are."

Natsu gasped. "Oh dear, no not that?" he mocked. "Go ahead. It's not like I care."

Cana cocked her head to the side, blocking mouth from Natsu's view. "He can be a bit of dick when he's drunk. What are you gonna do now?"

"Don't worry. I got this," Mira whispered back. "If that's how you want to be, why don't I tell Lisanna all the embarrassing stories she missed out on?"

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

Mira leaned in. Softly, she began with, "About how much you cried. Or all the times you came to visit to check on us. Or worse..."

Natsu widened his eyes. "You wouldn't dare..."

"I'll tell her about the time you accidentally called her 'my honey bun' when she first came back."

Natsu groaned. "Fine. Fine fine fine! Pucker up, Lucy."

"Don't I get a say in this?! What if I don't want to?"

Mira whispered in Lucy's ear. "You left a suitcase here. It has lots of naughty panties in it. I'll hand them out to each and every member of Fairy Tail."

"Mira! That's... that's so cruel! And sick! And twisted!"

"And can all be avoided if you two lock lips for half a second. It's not that hard." Mira glared at her. "I'll give Master the red and black lace pair. He really likes that sort of thing."

Lucy's face twisted into a frown. Reluctance aside, she leaned in a gave Natsu a peck on lips. She sprinted out the guild, leaving Natsu in a fit of rage and confusion. She didn't care. All she wanted to do was go home and let out her feelings. How could Mirajane be so cruel? Using blackmail of all things just to get something so small? Her trust had taken a serious blow.

She was about half way there when she tripped and scraped her knee, catching herself all wrong in the process. "Ouch... my wrist..." She lay there in pain, hoping someone would put her out of her misery. The alcohol made her dizzy. The nausea came on swift wings, making her stomach do somersaults. Crawling her way over to the canal side, she emptied her gut. The taste of sake and last night's dinner was enough to make her gag even more. For what seemed like an eternity, all she could do was heave and sob.

"Lucy! There you are!" shouted Wendy. "Oh my goodness, let me help you up."

Lucy caught one final glimpse at the small girl running towards her before blacking out and sliding down towards the river.

* * *

"Are you kidding me? You can't even have a nice drink with friends without running out in tears. How pathetic can you be." The voice echoed all around. Darkness spread to each and every corner, zero light shining out. "Crybabies don't deserve to be in a guild. Especially not one like Fairy Tail. You're so weak. I bet they all secretly hate you." The voiced grew in intensity. The darkness seemed to grow darker, thicker. It clouded out everything, making any and all sense null. "I seriously can't believe you. You're not even brave enough to admit your own feelings. _To yourself_ of all people."

"No... you're wrong."

"Am I? Really?" A figure came creeping out of the darkness, slowly edging its way closer. "You spoiled brat! All you are is a rich girl wannabe wizard! 'Oh no! My daddy didn't love me! I wish mommy was still here!' Oh boohoo. Grow up!"

"Stop it..."

"Why? Does it hurt? Or should I keep going? You're so envious of everyone aren't you? Erza is strong and beautiful. Levy has the mind of a genius. Wendy's support magic is vital to almost any mission."

"Stop it... Stop it..."

The figure was just outside view. "Mirajane is praised all around the country. She has men wanting her at all corners. Not to mention, she's an S class wizard, capable of killing your useless ass. Even the cat, Carla, has clairvoyance. You're worse than a flea-bitten cat."

"I said... Stop it!" Lucy stood and shouted with all her might. Her look of anger turned to one of horror.

"Surprised?" The figure stepped forward, revealing itself. "I'm you. The real you."

"No... it can't be..."

"Why would Natsu ever love you?" said the other Lucy. "You're nothing but a wimp that can't go a day without sobbing about petty drama. He likes his woman strong. Brave. Not some coward playing dress up." Lucy sank to the floor. The other Lucy walked over and started kicking her. "What's wrong? You can't take the pressure? Come on, I was hoping you'd at least stand and fight! Stand up! Fight me! Lucy! Hey, Lucy! Don't be such a coward and fight! Lucy! Lucy! Lucy!"

* * *

Lucy sat up, sweating and gasping for air. Her throat felt raw like she tried to swallow sand paper. She put her hands on her face, feeling a sharp pain in left wrist. She looked down and realized she was in her own bed, dressed in her pajamas. She brought her knees close and squeezed them tightly. Silently, she began to sob. Not out of fear. But out of relief. The nightmare didn't fade however. It stayed in mind like a parasite.

"Lucy? Are you awake?" came a soft voice from the couch. "Sorry if I woke you earlier. I brought you back up here and healed you." Wendy walked over, putting her hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. You're gonna be fine."

Lucy's gasps and sobs carried on, unwavering. "Oh... Wendy..." escaped a few words. She latched out and grabbed the smaller girl, hugging her tightly.

"Are you okay? Tell me what's going on." Even though Wendy was younger by a few years, she didn't hesitate to help out a friend in need.

Lucy sat there, clutching Wendy like a security blanket. Eventually, her sobs turned into soft murmurs. The murmurs silenced completely. With swollen eyes and a runny nose, she turned her head towards Wendy. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this..."

"You don't need to be. I'm here to help you."

Lucy's sniffed. "Thanks, Wendy. At least you care about me."

"Huh? What are you saying? Of course I care about you! Tell me what happened already."

Lucy finally loosened her grip. Wendy grabbed a box of tissues, giving it to the blonde. After a quick nose blow, Lucy started. "I just had a pretty horrible nightmare."

Wendy nodded, showing her intent on listening. "About what exactly, if you don't mind my asking?"

Lucy blew her nose again. "Just... It's hard to explain. I was stuck in this... darkness. I remember hearing this voice. It kept insulting me and putting me down. I kept yelling at it to stop. When it finally came out the shadows, it was me. Or at least, something that looked like me."

"That does seem scary." Wendy sat down next to Lucy. "I know I'm not the biggest help here, but Grandine used to tell me dreams had way of revealing our true feelings."

"Seriously?" Lucy asked in disbelief.

"Not just good ones, but fears and doubts too. Every so often, I'd have a bad dream and Grandine would always make me talk about it. She always repeated the same thing. 'Dreams, whether they be good or bad, are important. They teach us invaluable lessons about ourselves that no one else can teach. When you understand the meaning of the dream, it becomes easier to make sense of. If you can't do it alone, make sure you have someone to rely on.' It took me a while to understand what she meant myself. You don't have to tell me all the details. All I ask is, if you need help figuring these things out, talk to someone. Anyone. I don't want to see you hurt, because... you're one of my best friends..." Wendy couldn't help herself. She wrapped her arms around Lucy, beginning to cry softly. Lucy returned the embrace, tears starting for her again.

"Now who's the one crying?" she said quietly.

A loud snore sounded from the floor, causing both girls to squeal in surprise. "What is that?" Lucy asked.

Wendy wiped her eyes. "Oh. That's just Natsu. After he sobered up, he came running here. All he remembers is seeing you storm out earlier."

Lucy shook her head. "I swear, his memory is the worst at times." That earned her a good giggle from the younger girl. "Hey, Wendy." Wendy turned and looked at her. "Thank you. You've been such a great help. I probably would've laid here for days if it wasn't for you."

"Actually... you would've wound up in the river. Ending up somewhere else."

Lucy blushed in slight shame. "Oh yeah... Forgot about that... Speaking of which, what happened to my wrist?"

"Unfortunately, you broke it when you fell. I healed it as best I could, but it'll still have to heal on its own."

"Did you bandage it yourself?" Lucy asked thoughtfully.

"Mhm. I tried my hardest to make it tight, but not too tight."

"I guess I'll need a splint or something to keep me from moving it."

"We'll fix it up tomorrow. You need some rest. It's late and if you're going to Akane Resort tomorrow, you've got a decent trip to cover." Wendy walked over and hugged Lucy. "I'll be going now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Excuse me, but I don't think so. You said it yourself, it's late. I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you. I have a nice comfy couch and some spare blankets with your name on them."

Wendy smiled and nodded. "You wouldn't happen to have any spare pajamas, would you?"

"They're in that middle drawer of the dresser. Pick whichever ones you like. They might be a bit too big in the chest area."

"It's fine. I just don't want to sleep in my dirty day clothes." Wendy went to the bathroom, changing into a big T-shirt and some short shorts. Despite Wendy's protests, Lucy got up and found a spare pillow and blanket for her.

"Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning." She was about to head back to bed, but noticed Natsu sprawled out all over the floor. Chuckling quietly, she grabbed another blanket and put it on the sleeping guy. "You're a royal pain, you know that?" she said out loud. Smiling once more, she leaned in and kissed Natsu on the forehead, having no clue Wendy saw the whole thing, trying to keep from crying out due to pure cuteness overload.


	3. (Un)funny Confessions

**Hey there. It's ready. For your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy, sweetheart.**

* * *

"Oh... my head..." Natsu opened his eyes, the sunlight creeping through the curtains nearly blinding him. His head was pounding and his body was sore. "What... happened?" His words came out raspy and hoarse. He finally adapted to the light, seeing Lucy's apartment. "Lucy?" he called out, making his eardrums beat harshly. No answer.

Natsu stood, still clutching the blanket. He walked over to the bathroom and peaked into nothing but darkness. "Guess she's not here..." he told himself. He turned around and saw Lucy's bed, freshly made. It was the most inviting thing he'd ever seen. He took a step towards the bed when the door opened, a group walking in.

"Oh good. You're awake. About time you woke up, sleepy head." Lucy walked in, a few bags of groceries in her good hand. Wendy came in behind her, followed by Happy and Carla.

"Hey, Natsu. How're you feeling?" Wendy asked.

Natsu gave them a blank stare in return. "Uh. I have no idea how I got here."

They all shook their heads. "I thought you said you sobered up last night. I guess not." Wendy walked over to him and lead him to the bed. "You don't remember anything?" she asked.

"All I remember is getting hit. And hitting someone else." Natsu looked at Lucy. "Oh yeah. I remember seeing Lucy run out, but I don't remember why. All I really know now is my head hurts like hell."

"Probably because you headbutted Gray last night," Happy said.

"What? When?" Natsu asked, utterly confused at this point.

"You never told me he did that, Wendy," Lucy stated worriedly.

"I didn't even know myself."

"Honestly, I knew your memory was bad, but when you're tipsy, it just goes completely!" Carla walked over and stood in front of the fire wizard. "Cana gave you and Lucy a lot to drink. You started with one, but just kept going. Eventually, you two started laughing for no reason. Then Mirajane came into the picture. She blackmailed the both of you into kissing each other. Why would someone like Mira do this? I have no idea. But there you go. A quick summary."

Natsu stared at the white cat in front of him. "That still doesn't explain why I headbutted Gray." He sat down on Lucy's bed, cradling his aching head.

"I don't even know, honestly. Both of you were slobbering drunk. It could've been for any reason."

Natsu turned his attention to Lucy. If what the others were saying was true, it sure would make things awkward. Guilt formed in his mind. Once again, he embarrassed her. He may not have been at fault, but none of it would've happened if he didn't have that stupid idea. To make matters worse, he humiliated her with another kiss. One he didn't even remember. "Lucy... I..."

"Just stop right there." Lucy walked over and bent down, her face level with his. "I remember most of it. It wasn't your fault. Cana got us wasted and Mira took advantage of us. Actually... it sounds bad when I say it that way."

"Whether it's bad or not, she still took advantage. Not in _that_ way though," Wendy said, pink showing on her cheeks.

Lucy scratched her head. A thought popped into her mind. Natsu had been the one to suggest to the fake relationship. So really... it was his fault. He had good intentions, but even the best of them can cause more harm than good. "Look, Natsu... I'm just really frustrated right now. I don't know why the others thought they should meddle in our business. But for the time being, I think I'm going to stay away from the guild hall."

Natsu looked up and smiled. "Well of course you are! We got a trip to go on!"

Lucy's frustration turned into anxiety. Not fear related anxiety, but closer to excitement. "Oh yeah! That completely slipped my mind."

"Look at them. Two star-crossed lovers eloping to a far away paradise! Why don't you and I have our own romantic rendezvous, Carla?"

Carla glared at Happy. "I think I'd rather eat kitty litter."

Happy's eyes turned from bright and joyous to gloomy and distraught. "Oh. Alright then," he said with droopy ears.

"So what do you say, Lucy? Are you ready to go yet or not?" Natsu asked, seemingly forgetting to problem at hand.

Lucy sat down on her legs. "I don't know. I want to talk to everyone and find out the whole story, but at the same time, I just want to stay away. I really don't know what to do here."

Natsu put his hand on his chin. "I still wanna know why I headbutted Gray. Maybe we should just go get it over with. Talk to everyone. It'd be easier than disappearing for a while."

Wendy nodded. "Natsu's right. I'm sure the others feel terrible for what they did. If you keep your feelings bottled up, they might break free at the wrong time."

Lucy groaned. "But they'll probably laugh at me!"

"We laugh at you all the time. You're still just as weird now as you were when we first met you!"

"Happy. Not helping." Lucy stood up. "Can we at least eat breakfast first? Wendy and I went out to get groceries just so we could help you."

Natsu perked up a bit. "Sounds good to me." Natsu noticed Lucy's bandaged wrist. "Wait a minute, what happen there?" he said, pointing to the injury.

Lucy winced. "I fell last night. Wendy healed the best she could, but it still has to heal on its own the rest of the way."

"You can't make breakfast with that!" Natsu said, about to stand up.

"Don't worry, I'll help her out," Wendy said with a closed-eye smile.

Shortly thereafter, Lucy and Wendy started making breakfast. Bacon and eggs, hash browns, pancakes, sausage, toast with a side of oatmeal. Natsu and the two Exceeds made the table, placing plates and silverware out for everyone. Natsu rarely ever used a fork, so he thought it was useless.

"Eggs and pancakes are done. We'll be finished with rest in a minute!"

Carla smiled. "Those two amaze me. How they managed to cook on that tiny stove is beyond me. Lucy with a broken wrist, too."

"When Lucy gets hungry, she'll do anything for food! That's why she weighs a ton!"

"I can hear you, you know."

"Who cares how it's made? I'm just glad they're making it for us." Natsu sat at the table, pouring himself a glass of milk. "You sure you don't want any help, Lucy?" Natsu asked again.

"Relax. I'm fine. Besides, we're almost done." Lucy started working on the bacon, Wendy stacking the pancakes.

"I never realized you could cook, Wendy. I'm impressed." Carla smiled contently, sipping her own glass of milk.

"Alright, here we are. Anything you could ever want for breakfast." Happy was about to speak, but Lucy quickly interjected, "except for fish."

"Wow. This looks delicious! Thanks guys!" Natsu thanked the girls.

The posse of friends, sat around the table, eating quietly. Natsu was stuffing his face faster than the rest. "Excuse me. Where are your manners?"

Natsu stopped in mid bite, looking at Lucy. He smiled and slowed down. "Sorry. I've always had to eat my food fast. All the others would come steal my food."

"You're telling a big fib, Natsu. You were the one going around stealing other peoples' food."

"Hey, I was close wasn't I?"

Lucy giggled. "Sometimes I wish I could've grown up with you guys. I bet there wasn't even a day where something crazy went down."

"Eh, I guess. If you had been there, you probably wouldn't like me."

"Why do say that?" Lucy asked curiously.

"I was a troublemaker."

"Was? You still are!"

"So what if I break stuff easily? Maybe they should build their stuff stronger and tougher."

"You're so childish, it's almost cute." Lucy kept eating, completely oblivious to what she said. Natsu on the other hand, was about to choke on a piece of bacon.

* * *

After breakfast, the group of wizards set off towards the guild hall. Lucy kept twiddling her fingers nervously. "This is a bad idea. Maybe we should just forget about and handle it when we get back." She turned around, about to take off.

Natsu picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. "Not a chance."

"Hey, what are you doing? Put me down!"

"Calm down. We're already almost there." They passed under the archway, Natsu setting Lucy down before getting to the door.

Lucy let out a reluctant sigh. "I don't know why I'm so nervous about this."

"It'll all be fine. Trust me." Natsu gave Lucy a kind smile and walked in.

"There you are, you fire breathing maniac!" Gray yelled, sprinting towards him.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Erza said, grabbing hold of Gray's hair.

"Ow, jeez. What the heck is your problem?"

"I have two very big problems I'm forced to deal with on a daily basis. Their names are Natsu and Gray."

Natsu shrugged it off and walked over to the two. "So what I miss last night? I can't remember a thing!"

Erza and Gray groaned. "Of course you don't. After Lucy ran out last night, you went on cursing and screaming at everyone."

"Yeah you did. Then you had the nerve to do a flying headbutt while my back was turned."

Natsu covered his mouth to prevent himself from bursting into a fit of laughter. "Oh... sorry about that. But you probably deserved it anyway."

"That does it! You're getting an ass beating!"

"And who's gonna be the one to give to me, huh?" Natsu taunted back.

"I'll pound you both senseless if you don't quit arguing," Erza boomed.

"Yes ma'am!" the two frenemies said simultaneously with shaky voices.

"Would someone please tell us what happened last night?" Lucy said, clearly irritated.

Lisanna walked over, Mirajane not far behind with her head held low. "About time you came back." Lisanna looked at Natsu. "You have some explaining to do, Mister."

"Me? What did I do?" Natsu said, his hands up defensively.

"You broke Levy's wind reader glasses. Go over and apologize."

"But Lisanna! I don't even remember doing that!"

"No buts! Say you're sorry." Natsu walked off, grumbling to himself. "Honestly, he gives me so many gray hairs! If I could see them anyway.." She turned to face Lucy. "Hey, can we talk to you for a sec?"

Lucy looked at Lisanna. Then to Mirajane behind her. Hesitant at first, she stepped over to them. "What is it?" she said plainly.

Mira looked up. "Lucy, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just-"

"Well what did you think was gonna happen, Mira? You straight up blackmailed her! While she was drunk too!"

Mira looked down again, shame painted on her face. "I didn't realize..."

Lucy put her hand up to stop her. "Just save it, okay? What happened happened. There's no use in dwelling on the past." She took a step closer. "All I ask from now on is this. If you want to know something, just ask me. I'm not good a hiding things. All you had to was ask and I probably would've told you."

"I'm sorry." Mira hugged Lucy. "I feel so horrible."

"Hey. It's fine. Just promise me that?"

"I promise. I'll never do anything like that again."

"There we go. You two lovely ladies kiss and make up."

"I do have a few things to say to you Cana!" Lucy walked over and started giving Cana an ear full. "Why on earth would you make me drink? You know I can't handle alcohol! I could've died! Making me do that was awful!"

"Whoa whoa, easy tiger. All I wanted to do was share a couple cold ones with the newly weds. Is that such a bad thing?"

"So first we're dating, then we're making babies and now we're getting married? Good lord, what is wrong with you people!" Lucy shouted.

"The walls talk. Who knows what they'll say next?"

Lucy clenched her fist, but loosened it just as fast. "I'm never drinking again..."

Cana laughed. She put her arm around Lucy. "Not even one little sip?" she teased, pressing a bottle close to Lucy's face.

"Knock it off! Cana, please, just stop!"

Lisanna giggled. "You alright, Big Sis?"

Mirajane smiled shyly. "Yeah, I'm alright now." She leaned in closer. "The worst part about this whole thing? Lucy never even left a suitcase."

"But you said something about her underwear."

Mirajane blushed slightly. "You know those times when we go to the bathhouse? Well, it's hard to miss a pair like that. Especially with Lucy's gorgeous figure." The two sisters shared a warm laugh. "I'm glad she's so understanding. Had it been anyone else, they probably would've hated me for the rest of their life."

"Don't be so dramatic. Come on, we still need to help Big Brother Elf train!"

* * *

"What happened to you?" Lucy questioned.

"Gajeel laid the smack-down on him!" Happy said.

"Shut it, Happy. I tried to apologize to Levy for breaking her glasses. And yeah, Gajeel didn't like the fact that I broke them in the first place." Natsu had a decent cut over his eye, blood soaking through the cloth he had up against it.

"What did he do, cut you with a razor blade?" Lucy reached over. "Move your hand."

"What's with you and touching my face?" said Natsu playfully.

"Just move it." He did as he was told. "Ew. Already scabbing. Here, I think I have some antibacterial wipes."

"I don't need that. Gimme a few hours and this will be gone!"

Lucy sighed, shoulders sagging a bit. "Fine fine. Don't accept my help."

"When are you guys leaving?" Happy asked the pair.

"Since we sorted out things here, anytime now would great."

"Oh crap! I still need to pack some clothes. Come on, Happy. I'm gonna need your help." He started running out.

"Aye sir!"

Lucy smiled, shaking her head. 'I'll never understand their carefree attitudes. I wish I could be that easy minded.'

"You better get packing too, Missy."

"Levy! Hey girl."

"If you need any help, I don't mind."

"Sure! Come on, let's get going then."

* * *

The two girls started walking back towards Lucy's apartment, chatting and laughing like normal. "So Natsu was snoring bad?"

"I'll say. He's worse than a train." Lucy grinned. "He does look cute when he's sleeping though."

Levy smirked. "Aw, you never told me you thought Natsu was cute, Lulu!"

Lucy made a scrunched up face, red finding its way to her cheeks. "Don't even start with that. I've had to deal with enough of that here lately."

"Probably because you're so bad at hiding it!" Levy said, nudging her friend.

"I'm not hiding anything! I don't like him like that." Lucy looked away, trying to hide her ever reddening face.

"You can't hide it from me. You better spill the beans, girlfriend."

Lucy started running, leaving Levy behind. "I'll never admit it!"

Levy ran after her, laughing as she went.

Shortly after, they arrived at Lucy's apartment. "Ooooh, this one is cute!" Levy said, pulling out a nice looking sundress.

"You think so? I never wear that really. You can have it, if you want."

"Seriously? Thanks, Lu!"

"You're welcome. I probably have more clothes than I know what to do with." Lucy went through her drawers, picking out a few sets to ask Levy's opinions.

"Are you gonna pack those?" Levy asked, eyes widening.

"What? They're just underwear."

"If that's what you call 'just underwear,' I don't wanna know what you consider lingerie."

"Oh come on. What's the big deal?" Lucy grabbed a couple pairs and put them in her bag. Whether they were modest or not was still up for debate.

Levy glanced at Lucy. "So," she began, "Are you ready to tell me what happened with Natsu?"

Lucy sighed, setting her clothes back down. "If you're implying that we 'did stuff,' I'm sorry to disappoint you. All he did was sleep. On the floor."

Levy winked. "That's what I'd say too. You've got scrapes on your knees, bags under your eyes, and a broken wrist. Sounds like a fun night to me." She laughed while Lucy groaned in her pillow in frustration. "I'm just teasing. But in all seriousness, I have a really hard time believing you don't like Natsu." Lucy continued to groan, gradually getting louder. Levy walked over and sat on the bed next to her friend. "You're not really good a girl talk, are you?"

"No, not really. All I had growing up were a bunch of chefs, butlers and maids. Not exactly the type that welcome casual conversation," the busty blonde mumbled, face still buried in the pillow.

"Alright. Time for a crash course. When you have friends that are girls, especially ones you trust, you gossip, tell each other secrets and just have fun. It doesn't have to a serious topic all the time."

Lucy sat up straight. "Are you saying I need to trust you?"

"Well, yeah. You're like my best friend. If you should tell anyone, I'm your girl."

Lucy thought about it. Levy seemed really kind and reserved. But still. How could she admit something she wasn't even sure of herself? "I don't know. I just have a hard time talking about this."

Levy grabbed Lucy's hands, careful with her broken one, pulling her a bit closer. "Sounds like you're having some internal conflict. It'll be easier if you just let it out."

Levy was right. Maybe after talking it out, those feelings of uncertainty would just dissipate. "I'm not sure where to start."

"First off, you have to tell me the truth. Do you or do you not have feelings towards Natsu?"

"I... I don't-"

"Ah! The truth! Honest to God truth."

Accepting her fate, Lucy put her down in shame. "Yeah..." she whispered faintly.

"You see? Was that so hard?" Levy picked Lucy's head up to look her in the eye. "And don't you worry. I won't tell anyone."

Lucy smiled. Then she let out a sigh of relief. She looked at the ceiling and laughed, shaky and quiet. "I can't believe it. Here I was lying to myself. Now that I've admitted it, to someone else and to myself, I feel almost at ease."

Levy scoffed a little bit. "At least the guy you like might actually like you back. I'm not sure if I can say the same."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Gajeel playing hard to get?"

That caused Levy to blush and cover her mouth. "How did you-"

"Obvious. Very obvious."

Levy let out the same kind of laugh as Lucy. "Well, it had to come out at some point."

The two girls giggled. "Now that that's out of the way, this trip is going to be something else."

"Going on a vacation with the man of your dreams. Must be nice."

"I don't think he's the man of my dreams. Just a crush is all."

Levy smirked at the celestial wizard. "Depending on your answer to this next question, I may or may not believe you."

"What question?"

"How long?"

Lucy went slightly red. "How long what?"

"How long have you had a crush on Natsu?"

Lucy's face was priceless. She blushed and paled in a matter of seconds. Then she put her hands on her head, slightly freaking out. "Oh no. It couldn't have been then..."

"Been when? Spit it out, Lu!"

Lucy looked up, eyes unusually wide. "Since that stupid time with Virgo. It has to be. The way I dressed up and had all those crazy fantasies. Oh man, why does it have to be that time?"

"What's so bad about that?" Levy asked.

"It wouldn't be that bad. Except he made me feel like a total idiot. I kept hearing things and it just got to me." Lucy started packing again to distract herself. "I've never had a boyfriend. The thought of a guy actually seeing me as more than a friend made me feel really special. Even if it was Natsu of all people."

Levy put her hand on her chin. "Well, maybe we can fix it. If you don't think Natsu is the one, what about the other guys?"

Lucy made a gagging noise. "Please. Gray is too grumpy, Elfman is annoying, and, no offense, Gajeel is just too rough for my taste. And most the others are too old."

Levy made a big grin. "Then it's settled. You are seriously in L-O-V-E with Natsu. No other way to put it."

"Get real, Levy. I'm so not. He's weird, he always steals my food and breaks into my apartment. He always manages to sneak a peak at the goods. He's got that stupid, cute smile. The way he looks at me gives me shivers. His laugh is adorable. Nothing to like about him."

"You realize a few of those are good things, right?"

Lucy deadpanned. "I'm so doomed."

"I'm gonna starting calling you Drama Mama. I swear."

* * *

It was around 4 in the afternoon when, finally, Lucy arrived back at Fairy Tail, waiting for the knucklehead Natsu to show up. She was sitting at the closest table to the door, her suitcase packed and ready. Just like herself, when Natsu didn't show up on time, she began to worry.

"After all this, he ends up making you wait right when you're ready. I swear, he needs to work on timing." Levy sat down beside her friend, handing her a small glass of juice.

"Normally he's pretty good at showing up at the right time. I hope nothing bad happened." Lucy swirled the red liquid around, watching it make a whirlpool.

"Ah, you worry too much. He's probably trying to pack everything in his house." Levy cupped a hand around her mouth. "Or he could be finding something especially sexy for you to wear for him."

"Yeah right. I'd need to see that before I believe it."

Levy looked up. "Speak of the devil."

"Hey, Lucy! I see you got your bag." Natsu had is normal stuff, plus some casual wear, all packed up on his back.

"Oh, hey Natsu!" Lucy said, turning around. "You know I'm ready!"

Natsu smiled. "Well then. We can leave whenever you're ready."

Lucy grinned back and nodded. She stood and lifted up the handle on her rolling suitcase. She turned around and started to wave. "Alright, guys! We'll see you in a few days!"

"Don't make her legs shake too much, Natsu," hollered Wakaba.

"Shoot, knowing him he might actually break her legs," Macao said back.

Wakaba cackled. "Looks like he already got to her wrist!"

Natsu furrowed his eyebrows. "What are they talking about?"

Lucy began to push Natsu out the door, desperately not wanting her face to turn red. "Nothing! Let's just get going!"

"Bye Lu! You two be sure to have lots of fun! But not too much."

"Bye Levy! I'll see you later!"

"Hey, Salamander. Don't go getting soft on us."

"What's the big deal? I'm only gonna be gone for a few days."

"A few days is all we'll need. When you get back, be prepared to have butt kicked!" Gray yelled at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Go put some pants on," Natsu retorted back, walking away, waving his hand.

Erza hurried over to the two. "Be careful. It may not be a mission, but both of you are Fairy Tail wizards. Evil could be around any corner. Be ready to face it head on!" She grabbed them both and pulled them in for a bone crushing hug. After an awkward amount of seconds went by, she let Lucy go. She brought Natsu a little closer. "Oh, and Natsu? If I find out you try to take advantage of Lucy, I'll make sure you never get to use your little friend ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes... ma'am..." Natsu gurgled out, the air still being squeezed out of him.

"Good." She let go and waved them off. "Take care and above all. Be safe."

"Will do!" the pair said.

"I'm still bummed I can't go," muttered Happy.

"Cheer up, pal. It's not gonna be that bad. And you'll have plenty of time to spend with Carla. I'll be sure to bring you back a souvenir too!"

Happy perked up. "Aye sir! Have fun with the kissing and cuddling!"

"I'll break your neck, cat!" Lucy hollered, Natsu pulling her away.

* * *

Shortly after the two had left, Erza went up to Gray. "I'm so confused right now."

"What's to be confused about?"

"First they kiss in front of everyone. Then they say they're dating. They get hammered and kiss again. And then, come to find out they're not dating at all. And now they're going off on some extravagant vacation. Alone!"

Gray raised an eyebrow. "If it's taken you this long to figure it out, you're hopeless."

"Figure what out?"

Gray face-palmed. "Those two. They can't be seen without the other near. If Natsu's not picking a fight, he's doing something with Lucy. Staring at her, teasing her, or talking about a new job, asking Lucy to tag along."

"Plus, he's always breaking into her apartment," Wendy chimed in.

"Exactly. Sure, they bicker a lot, but that just makes it all the more obvious. Natsu isn't one for hiding his feelings. When Lucy's around, he's all but straight up confessing his love for her."

"I wish you'd confess your love for me, Darling!" Juvia proclaimed. She jumped on his back and starting snuggling into the side of his neck.

"Get a grip, would ya?" He said, trying to pry the love struck female off of him.

Erza snickered. "It is kind of obvious, now that I think about it." She looked out the open door. "He's finally starting to mature."

Wendy had a thought. "If they do end up together, what's gonna happen to our team?"

"It'll most likely stay the same. When we have down time, I'm sure those two will be all over each other though."

Wendy blushed. "Like kissing and stuff?"

Erza smirked. She leaned in and whispered something in Wendy's ear. The little girl squealed, her face getting brighter. Erza straightened up. "But you'll know all about that when you're older." She winked and carried on her way.

"That's..."

"What did she tell you?" Gray asked.

Wendy's face rivaled Erza's hair. She fell flat on her back, starring at the ceiling, mumbling in an embarrassed daze. "Wendy!" Carla ran over to help the poor girl. "What on earth did you tell her?"

"Exactly what everyone else is thinking. Soon she'll be old enough to go out and experience those things. I don't see what the big deal is."

"Could've at least made it more kid friendly," Gray stated plainly.

"Says the one that likes to run around in the nude."

"I don't do it on purpose! It's a habit!"

"If my darling Gray has such a habit, maybe I should do the same! It'll show him I'm interested in the same things! He won't be able to avert his eyes! Definitely not after he's seen my glorious curves!" Juvia started chuckling devilishly, starting to raise her shirt.

"Don't do that! It's not something I enjoy doing!" He grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began to pull down.

"But Darling! We could bare it all together and express our love in the purest form! The others will only stare out of complete envy!" She started lifting harder, her bellybutton coming into view.

"Just stop it, Juvia! You're going to rip your shirt!" Immediately after the words came from Gray's mouth, the shirt did just that. It ripped. Her whole right torso was exposed, causing quite the commotion.

Juvia gasped. "Gray... I didn't realize you wanted me that bad. To rip off my clothes in front of the entire guild! How bold of you!"

Gray started panicking. "No, stop. Don't say that. It'll take the attention off Natsu and Lucy," he whispered, desperately trying to cover her back up.

Juvia started fawning hardcore. "What was that, my love? You wished to outdo Natsu and his ditsy blonde? You are such a rascal, Darling!"

"Why do you feel the need to torture me?" Gray said, slinking down in defeat.

* * *

"I... will never... do that again..." Natsu muttered out, forcing himself from puking all over the sidewalk. He crawled out of the train door, barely mustering up the strength.

"You say that literally each and every time you ride the train. Will you ever learn? Probably not."

Natsu managed to stand, the ground finally stopping its relentless spin. He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. "Not this time. This isn't about me, remember? It's all about you."

Lucy brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "Trust me. I haven't forgotten."

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's get going! The sooner we put our stuff at the hotel, the sooner we can try some of the food!" He sprinted off, grabbing Lucy and dragging her along.

They reached the main hotel in all its splendor. "Whoa. It looks totally awesome!" Lucy's mouth hung open as they entered the main lobby. Every piece of furniture looked untouched, the floor was beautiful tan granite and the huge chandelier probably cost more than the entire Fairy Tail guild hall. All of the patrons were wearing designer suits and dresses, casually flaunting their wealth like it was no big deal. "They really did change it all up."

"I told you. You think they still have that stupid bingo slot machine?" Natsu looked around, his nose going crazy. Foreign smells kept popping up everywhere. From expensive perfume to the smell of roast duck. Alcohol plagued his nose, making his stomach cramp. "Ugh. Of course there's drinking here."

"What do you expect? The 'high class citizens' love a good spirit."

"You ever drink any of that garbage?"

"Uh, no? I was always too young. Most of it reeked of char anyway. My dad used to drink this disgusting bourbon. I did mistake it for my apple juice one time. I've never puked so much in my life."

"Until last night, you mean."

"Don't remind me. I still have the awful taste of sake in my mouth."

After a few more minutes went by, they finally reached the check in counter. "Hello, Sir and Madam," the gentleman at the counter said without looking up. When he did, he gave them a dirty look, followed by a condescending snort. "Oh, lost, are we? The Cherry Buck Inn is just up the way."

"Actually, we're customers." Lucy reached in her bag and pulled out the tickets. No chance she was letting the scatterbrain hold on to them. "See?"

The man twiddled his pencil mustache. "Ah, yes." He grabbed a book and flipped through it. "Terribly sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"What? Why?" Natsu said.

"You see, I don't believe you came by these honestly. These are exclusive VIP access tickets. It would be more appropriate to associate them with royalty. Judging by your..." He adjusted his thin bifocals. "...petty garb, I'd say you are most definitely not royalty in the slightest."

"Are you serious? Look, pal, I paid for these tickets fair and square!"

"So you bought them from the thief then. I'll ask you again. Please leave or I'll be forced to contact security."

"Listen, Mister. I-"

Lucy stopped Natsu, putting her finger over his mouth. "Sorry about my friend. We got these from Jason, the editor at Sorcerer Magazine. Natsu saved him a while back so Jason gave him a discount on the tickets."

The man gazed at the two, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Natsu Dragneel? Salamander?" The man frantically flipped through guest book again. "OH! My sincerest apologies! You are VIP Number One, Mr. Dragneel."

"Now that's more like it." Natsu smirked, pride in his eyes.

"Wait a minute. A second ago, you were threatening to kick us out. What happened all of a sudden?"

"Forgive me. We received word from Princess Hisui herself Mr. Dragneel would be paying us a visit. For the sake of policy, I must ask, who might you be, Miss?" the man said, voice slightly wavering.

"Oh. In that case, I'm Lucy."

"Last name too, please."

Lucy clutched her skirt. 'Here it comes,' she thought. "Lucy Heartfilia."

The man freaked out again. He adjusted his glasses again, shakily pushing them closer. He eyed the guest book once more. "Oh good heavens! Ms. Heartfilia. Humble apologies to you as well. You are also VIP Number One. Hold on, how is that possible?"

"That's enough, Conrad. I'll take it from here." A stunningly beautiful woman walked over, her body swaying elegantly. She wore a dazzling red dress, flowing down in the back and shorter in the front. Her high heels shined brighter than the floor. Her hair was long and auburn. The sides were braided away from her face and pulled back into a flowing ponytail, all held together with a black ribbon. "Pardon him. He most likely didn't know what the two of you looked like."

"Oh, it's no problem."

The woman stuck out her hand. "I'm Delilah. I own this fabulous resort." She had a voice like silk. It even gave Lucy shivers. Her accent was thick but gentle. She must've been foreign, hence the darker color of her skin, a light brown like the color of fresh almonds.

Lucy shook her hand. "Lucy. And this is-"

"Neither of you need any introduction. Lucy Heartfilia, the famed Celestial Wizard. And Natsu Dragneel, the fearsome Fire Dragon Slayer. Both members of the strongest team of the strongest guild in Fiore. Fairy Tail."

"Wow. I never realized how famous we were," Natsu said, his hands behind his head.

"But of course. Despite the rowdiness, your guild is absolutely adored."

Natsu grabbed Delilah's hand. "Well put her there. It's nice to know we're actually getting the appreciation we deserve!"

Delilah swooned at Natsu's touch. "Oh goodness. You have a firm handshake."

"Sorry about that. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Quite the opposite. I like a man with a firm grip." She winked at Natsu.

Lucy felt a pang of jealousy in her gut. "Anyway. Why are we both VIP Number One?" she asked, purposefully changing the subject.

Delilah beamed. "I believe Conrad told you of Princess Hisui's message? What he failed to mention was all the members of Fairy Tail's strongest team, among all the others, are equivalent to VIP Number One status. The tickets we gave Jason were to be delivered to you all, not just the two of you."

"Hold on. You're saying that squirmy little punk ripped me off?" Natsu shouted, clenching his fist.

"Such a bold wizard. On the contrary, Love. That was merely the fee. You can send for tickets in advance, but we require a small fee for delivery. The tickets are a gift, absolutely free of charge. Unless you consider coming and having a good time an expensive cost." She laughed, covering her closed lips gracefully.

"The others are getting tickets too? Oh great." Lucy sighed for the millionth time.

* * *

"SO COOOOOL!" yelled Jason in utter awe. "I can't believe I'm once again in Fairy Tail! Such honor! Such glory! Such determination! It's all just..." Wait for it. "...So...cool!"

"Uh, Jason? Why are you here?" said Mirajane, a kind but confused smile on her face.

"The lovely Mirajane! It's a pleasure as always." Jason fumbled around his bag and placed a bunched of tickets on the counter. "I have strict orders from Princess Hisui to deliver these tickets."

"Akane Resort tickets? Didn't Natsu and Lucy get some of those?" Wendy asked, holding Carla in her arms.

"Not just your ordinary tickets, young lady. Exclusive VIP access tickets!"

"What on earth? How many are there?" Carla asked.

"One for every member of the guild! You're all just so cool!" Jason yelled again.

Master Makarov walked over to the crazed journalist. "You're telling me all the members of Fairy Tail are getting exclusive tickets to the most exclusive resort in all of Fiore?"

"By order of the princess, you're all ordered to go and have a good time," Jason exclaimed, giving a salute.

Makarov gave a huge grin. "You heard him, folks. Princess Hisui ordered it. Let's get going!"

"Just one more thing. There's a fee for the delivery."

"Seems fair enough. How much?"

"1000 jewel for each ticket."

Master Makarov deadpanned. "That's... a lot..."


	4. (Don't) Look At Me

**I made some changes. Love em or hate em, love me or hate me, I'm gonna stick to my first word. NaLu all the way.**

 **Don't fret young ones. Papa's gonna make it up to you. I plan writing a spinoff story for Gray and Juvia, maybe even a few other couples. And there will still be fluff from time to time. For now, NaLu will have to do. Thanks to the reviewer who criticized me. Much appreciated.**

* * *

"This... is... amazing..." was all Lucy could say. Delilah brought them to their room at the very top of Akane Hotel. The King Suite it was aptly named. Couldn't have found a more appropriate one.

It had every luxury imaginable. Automated curtains and lights, it's very own kitchen setup, a bar area, a balcony overlooking the entire park, an adjustable, retractable roof, a bathroom three times bigger than Lucy's apartment, and above all that, the bed was big enough for ten people to sleep on. And boy was it soft.

"This... is our room?" Natsu mutter out, in disbelief also.

"Of course. Normally, Princess Hisui or her father, King Toma, would be staying in here. But seeing as you two are royalty for the time being, this is your suite. First come, first serve as they say!" Delilah giggled and clapped her hands. "I will help you myself as often as I can spare. In my absence, this is Quincy. He'll be your butler, housekeeper, chef, masseuse, or nearly any other serviceman you may find need for."

A dark man walked in, wearing a splendid suit made of silk. "Greetings, Master Natsu, Lady Lucy." He put his hand over his chest and bowed. His voice was low and booming, bearing the same accent as Delilah.

Natsu smiled politely for once. "Nice to meet you, Quincy!" He stuck out his hand, Quincy shaking it firmly. "Sorry for asking, but you're probably the darkest guy I've ever seen. Are you from a different country or something?"

"Natsu, that's rude! Don't be like that," Lucy scolded him.

"Oh, no worries, Lady Lucy. I get that question regularly. To answer your question, yes indeed. I'm from a land quite far from Fiore. The same country Lady Delilah is from. Not all people there have my dark skin, but it is more common than here. Trust me when I say, I'm no stranger to questions."

"Oh, my bad. I just thought I was making good conversation. I'll shut up now."

"You misunderstand me, Master Natsu. I take no offense. I simply answered the asked question."

Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "Way to give Quincy the wrong idea of us, knucklehead."

Quincy laughed, his deep voice echoing throughout the suite. "Pardon me. If you wish for me to unpack your belongings and place them into the dressers, I would be more than willing."

Lucy cocked a half smile. "I think we'll manage. I need to talk to Natsu before we do anything anyway."

"As you wish," the refined gentleman bowed once more.

"Quincy is the finest man I've ever met. He is, how do you say, a jack of all trades." Delilah pulled out a small remote with a large button in the middle. "If you need assistance, press the button here. Either Quincy or myself will come to your aid."

Lucy took the remote. "We'll be sure to keep that in mind. Oh, just one more thing. Could one of you give us a tour of the resort? We have been here before, but not since the changes."

"I'll gladly volunteer," Quincy stated politely.

"Splendid! Remember, Quincy. These are our prime guests. Treat them as if they were the king and queen themselves. Shouldn't be any trouble. The actual King has complimented you on many occasions."

"Whoa. You worked for the King?" Natsu asked.

"Yes I have. I've been his personal serviceman numerous times."

"Right on!" chided a beaming Natsu.

"If you will excuse me, I have some business to take care of. Simply press the button if you need anything." Delilah eyed Natsu, slowly revealing her cleavage to the fire wizard. _"Anything."_ She and Quincy left without another word.

Lucy was about to go Erza on a bitch. "Okay. I've already had up to here with that Delilah chick!"

Natsu picked her up and jumped on the massive bed. "Forget about her. She's just the owner."

"That's the problem. I want us to stay here, but if she keeps giving you goo-goo eyes, I might have to set her straight." Lucy rolled on her back, staring at the ceiling.

Natsu had an idea. He was going to test something. "You're not jealous, are you, Lucy?"

Lucy scoffed loudly. "Please. I've dealt with her type before. 'Prim and proper, money and jewelry, sexuality and scandalous.' You have to remember, rich women are greedy. They're never satisfied. Always want more and more. Trust me. I was rich once. She's not the first beauty queen I've seen."

Natsu huffed, his plan backfiring. Or had it? "She had a nice figure, I'll give her that."

Lucy clutched the bed comforter. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you."

"Face it. She had a rocking bod." Natsu snickered to himself. In reality, he was digging his own grave.

Lucy scooted off the bed. "I get it. Once a girl gives you a peak, all you want is more." She climbed onto the dresser. "When your old pal Lucy tries to be sexy, you brush me off like a jerk!" She threw herself off, delivering an elbow straight into Natsu's diaphragm.

Natsu coughed and wheezed, every molecule of oxygen forced from his lungs. He sat up slowly, looking at Lucy through misty eyes. He never knew Lucy could bring the pain. "S-s-sorry..." he said before falling to the floor, urgently gasping for air.

"Now then. I'm going to take a shower. If you try to peep, I'll give you another elbow. This time, right to the family jewels." Lucy grabbed a spare set of clothes and walked into the huge bathroom.

Natsu crawled over to a love seat, holding his aching chest. Pulling himself up, he took a deep breath, fresh air filling his lungs. He slowly started coming back to reality, thanking whoever was listening he hadn't smarted off to Erza. She definitely would've killed him.

Despite getting a healthy dose of pain, his mind drifted to dangerous territory. Giving in to the troublesome thoughts, he eyed the bathroom door. If Lucy hadn't crushed his lungs, he probably would've tried to peak in. He kept averting his attention, taking in all he could in an attempt to block the urges once more. However, no matter what he did, he always ended up staring towards the door. Curiosity, among other things, got the best of him. Still clutching his chest, he quietly moved over to the door.

"I'm sure I can get one little peak..." He gently opened the door, his eyes extremely focused.

Lucy was standing in front of the mirror. She was staring at herself with a look of displeasure. "He's got some nerve," she said quietly. She sat down on the little stool and starting tinkering with another remote. Soft music started to play, slow and soothing. The lights dimmed slightly, making it easier on the eyes. "What's she have that I don't? I'm curvy and smart to boot! But what if Natsu only likes girls with dark hair? I don't think I could handle being rejected..."

Natsu continued to stare. Even though Lucy was still fully clothed, her words hooked his interest. "What's she going on about? I wonder..."

Lucy untied her hair, letting it flow. "I'll just have to win him over my way!" She removed her vest shawl and started on her boots and socks.

Natsu started breathing heavy. He covered his mouth, not wanting Lucy to hear. Hopefully the music was loud enough. The lights dimming definitely didn't hurt. The way Lucy removed her thigh-highs made his heart beat faster. His eyes were locked at her legs. The way her socks squeezed her thighs, leaving that little bit peaking over the top, made his inner beast howl with delight. He had seen all Lucy had to offer plenty of times before, but for some reason, this time was different. Never before did his eyes crave to look at her as they were doing then.

"I'm probably just overthinking. He's never really been one for looks anyway. Then again, when you look like me, it's hard not to stare. With my killer good looks and top notch personality, he'll be petty in my hands in no time!" She slid her sleeves off, placing them with her other clothes. She placed her Celestial Keys and whip on the counter next to the sink. All she had left was her skirt and top.

Natsu could feel the blood rushing to his face. If he kept this up, his nose would surely starting bleeding. His male instincts made all sorts of ideas pop in his mind, each one more vivid than the last. He was getting excited.

A knock came from the suite's door, interrupting Natsu's fantasies. Caught off guard, he panicked. What if they came in and saw what he was doing? He couldn't talk his way out of this one. Without a second thought he swung open the bathroom door and hopped in.

"Hey, ever heard of knocking! I'd like some privacy, if you don't mind!" Lucy crossed her arms.

"I can explain... I heard a knock on the door."

"Ooo, scary. Quit being a wimp and just answer the door!" Lucy walked over and started to push him out.

"No, you don't get it! If they saw what I was doing, I'd be a goner!" Natsu put his arms on the door frame, pushing back.

Lucy gasped. "You weren't doing _that,_ were you? That's so gross!"

Natsu's face was still red from his peeping. "What? No! I don't do that!" He spun around causing Lucy to fall into his chest.

"Then what were you doing?" Lucy looked up and saw his red face. His pupils were wide. His intense gaze gave her stomach butterflies. That's when it hit her. She gasped again, this time long and high pitch. "Were you spying on me?"

Natsu's heart jumped into his throat. "Huh? No no no! I... Of course not... Why would... I mean..."

Lucy clenched her fist. "You pig!" She threw a punch, Natsu ducking at the last second. He crawled under her legs to try and escape. "Where do you think you're going?" Lucy grabbed his scarf.

Natsu twirled around, the scarf falling off his neck. Lucy turned around and chased after him. "Just give me a minute to explain!"

"You were peeping! No explanation needed!" She jumped on his back.

Natsu stumbled. They went barreling towards the wall. Before hitting, Natsu slipped on his infamous scarf, sending both him and Lucy crashing into the bathtub. They hit rather hard, Lucy banging her wrist on the faucet, Natsu going in face first.

"Aw, damn it, that hurt!" Natsu yowled in pain.

"First you insult me, then you spy on me and now you're trying to get me in the tub with you?" Lucy gripped her wrist, backing up to the other side of the bathtub.

"I never insulted you! I didn't say I wanted to take a bath with you either."

All of a sudden, mechanical arms came out of the walls. "Voice command: I want to take a bath. Bathing preparations underway," came an automated voice. The arms lifted the two wizards, a waterfall coming out the faucet. In seconds, the water was near the top, the temperature perfect.

"Natsu! What are you doing?" Lucy screamed.

"I'm not doing anything!" The arms started undressing the two. "Hey hey hey, what the heck are you doing?"

"Get your grubby hands off the goods!" Lucy yelled at the arms. "I've got it! Voice command stop!"

The arms ignored her, plopping the wizards in the water, both completely naked. Bubbles began to form on the surface of the water. Jets switched on, turning the bath into a hot tub. "Well this just got real awkward real fast."

Lucy covered her chest, blushing in shame. "You just had to come in here and ruin my private time!"

"What was I supposed to do? I'd rather you beat the hell out of me than get caught by someone else."

"That makes no sense. You were still caught by me!"

"You didn't catch me. You never would've found out if I didn't come in!"

"I still got the truth out of you, didn't I?"

Natsu put his hands on his head. "Alright, fine. Sorry I spied on you. The more someone tells me not to do something, only makes me want to do it more."

Lucy groaned. "Well look where your brilliant plan ended up."

Natsu stopped and looked at the fair girl. Luckily, the tub was massive. She was a good couple meters away. Not thinking, he began to check her out, the bubbles blocking most of the view. He smirked. "Can't say I'm complaining."

"Would you be serious. Do you have any idea how bad this looks?" Natsu wasn't the only one with wandering eyes. She kept glancing over, very naughty ideas flooding her consciousness.

"I don't know why you're freaking out. You've ended in the buff in the middle of a battlefield before. What you got ain't no surprise to me when you go around streaking through war zones all the time."

"You just threw yourself under the bus, buddy. If you already know what I look like, why were you sneaking a peak in the first place?"

Natsu scoffed, looking away. "You're drop dead gorgeous. I thought that was obvious."

His honesty hit Lucy rather abruptly. But that wasn't going to stop her from winning the argument. "So now I'm gorgeous. You were drooling over Delilah earlier, saying she has a nice figure and all that."

Natsu laughed. "Yeah, I guess she has a nice body. Didn't really pay attention. I just said those things to get a rise out of you."

"I can't believe you. You stress me out so much! Why I don't have a break out everyday, I'll never know." Lucy sunk down into the water, leaving only her face poking out. 'If this didn't feel so good, I'd probably get out...' she thought to herself.

"No use crying about it now. I think I'll just sit back and relax." Natsu put his arms behind his back and closed his eyes.

Relaxation was the farthest from Lucy's mind. All of her concentration effort was to keep herself from having a breakdown in front of Natsu. There she was, minding her own business, about to take a shower and in virtually no time at all, she winds up in the bath. With Natsu. The guy she finally admitted to having feelings for. Naked. 'Alright Lucy, no freaking out. Just breathe. It's fine. He can't see anything. You can't see anything. But does he want to see something? Do I want to see something?' That's when Lucy's pure, innocent brain betrayed her.

"Hey, uh, Natsu? Would you mind washing my back?" she asked in a sweet, girlish voice. If she couldn't make Natsu notice her through traditional means, maybe using a more contemporary method would work.

Natsu's face was priceless. He went from pure bliss to utter shock. With his awestruck face not letting up, he nodded slowly, a drop of blood falling from his nose, into the bubbly, pulsating water. "Wh-what did you want me to d-do?" he stuttered out, unsure of his hearing.

"Normally, I'd do it myself. Since I didn't bring my scrub brush, I can't. And I need help. I want to keep my skin smooth and luscious." Lucy pouted her bottom lip, putting her finger off to one side. The time for holding back had passed eons ago at this point. 'That's it! Your feminine charm will have him at your beck and call!' she reassured herself.

Natsu squinted at her. "What are you getting at?"

'This shtick isn't working how I planned. Time to improvise.' "Please, Natsu? Honestly, I need just a bit of help." Lucy turned around, moving her hair out of the way, revealing her bare back. "The water will make my skin dry up. I'll let you use your hands if you hurry." To add more flare, she winked slowly.

Wasting little time, Natsu moved over. His instincts were screaming at him at a primal level. They desperately wanted him to act, but his conscious persuaded him of the opposite. "So... do I use a sponge or a rag or what?" His voice was slightly shaking. Whether out of resisting temptation or nervousness, neither were acceptable in his mind.

Lucy stopped herself from giggling. She was enjoying this way too much. "I already said you could use your hands. It'll make it feel so much better."

"If you say so!" Natsu had conflicting emotions. Should he be full of joy or full of worry? Either way, his body started moving on it's own. He grabbed the nearest bottle and got to work. "Wow. It's so soft. And a bit slippery." He moved to the middle of Lucy's shoulder blades, gently pressing down. He came across a knot and started to press it out. Lucy let out a pained moan, quiet, but in Natsu's mind, powerful.

"Be careful! Not so rough." She wasn't expecting a massage, but since Natsu had already started, why make him quit?

"Oops. Sorry about that." He started pressing again, lighter this time. He moved his thumbs in small, concentrated circles. Feeling the muscles starting to relax, he started spreading out his movements slightly.

Lucy let out a content sigh. "Yeah, just like that. That's the stuff." She put her head down, letting her 'friend' continue to knead out the knots.

"Glad I can help you out somehow." Natsu's nose was about to explode. Soon it would end up like a ketchup bottle being stepped on.

"I didn't realize it was that hard."

"I've heard just about enough!" screamed a voice. Erza kicked down the door, her face matching her hair color.

Natsu yelped in terror. He flinched back so bad it made Lucy fall back, Lucy turning to the side to catch herself with one arm. His hands grasped for anything, potentially looking for a weapon. They found the uncapped soap bottle, squeezing it with great force. A stream of body wash landed on Lucy's face. The worst part about the whole ordeal? It was thick and white.

Erza stomped over to the tub. What she saw stopped her straight. With an expert poker face, she glared at Natsu. "I let you leave with her, knowing good and well what might happen. I put my trust in you. I even threatened you. And after all that, you go and pull a disgusting stunt like this?"

The scene was something to behold. Natsu's terrified expression, Lucy's flabbergasted look and the overall setting combined made it appear quite the steamy session. "Erza! Now just wait a minute!" Lucy tried interjecting.

"Calm down, Lucy. I know you've been through a traumatic experience. I'm here and I'll punish this pervert!" A sword appeared in her hand. She began to prod the water in between Natsu's legs, the before mention wizard screaming in horror.

Lucy stood up. "Erza! Quit it!"

Erza stopped her thrust, millimeters away from making sure Natsu couldn't have kids. "Cover yourself! You'll only provoke him more!"

"Natsu wasn't the one doing the provoking. I was!" Lucy had on her meanest brave face.

Erza gasped, taking a step back. "What? Are you serious?"

"It's a long story. I really don't want to discuss it in here. Please, just give us a few minutes."

The scarlet haired woman closed her eyes and proceeded to the door, closing it behind her. Lucy exhaled slowly, relief filling her soul. Standing up to Erza was not a small feat for any wizard, Fairy Tail member or not. Doing it while utterly vulnerable was suicide. She looked at Natsu. He was paralyzed with fear, his gaze locked on the door. He still clutched the bottle, deep, raspy breaths echoing throughout the cavernous bathroom. Since he was stuck in a daze, Lucy took the opportunity to quickly rid her face of the body wash.

After the thorough cleansing, Lucy dressed herself, keeping tabs on the fear stricken Natsu. She wanted to comfort him, but there were too many reasons against doing so. Erza would grow even more impatient if she didn't hurry, Natsu was still stark naked, and her temporary solid resolve was on the verge of crumbling to dust. Preparing for the worst, she walked out.

Erza was standing in the middle of the suite, arms crossed, sword still in hand. Happy stood next to her, mocking the same position, fish in paw instead of sword. "You got some explaining to do, Lucy," Happy said, patronizing the poor girl.

"Stay out of it, cat. It's none of your business."

Erza stomped. "Enough. Start talking."

Lucy cowered back, a droplet of sweat appearing on her cheek. "Well, you see... I don't know where to start."

Erza made a low growl. "Just tell me why I found you and Natsu in the bath together. And I better like your answer."

"Can I least sit down?" Lucy complained.

"No! Talk. Right where you are," Erza demanded, putting her hand on her hip, the other still holding the sword.

Lucy kept glancing at the weapon. Surely she wouldn't do anything rash, right? "I just wanted to take a shower. Even though I told him not to, Natsu was trying sneak a peek. Someone, probably you, knocked on the door. He knew he'd be in an awkward situation, but Natsu isn't one for common sense. He just barged right in. Of course, he ultimately admitted to spying, so his plan failed in the end."

Erza's eyes narrowed. "How do you explain the-"

"I'm getting to that..." Lucy kept swaying back and forth, clearly uncomfortable. "You see, this suite is like totally awesome and high tech. It's got all these different automatic functions. You can turn the lights on and off, close the curtains, have music play all with the press of a button! Some things even are voice activated. Natsu said something about taking a bath and these weird robot arms came out the walls, stripped us both and put us in the tub. It wouldn't listen to my commands, but I did try to stop them."

An eerie silence deafened the room. Erza kept her disapproving scowl on Lucy, not even blinking. Lucy held her breath, fearing one sudden movement would set off Erza's tripwire. Faster than the she could see, Erza appeared in front of Lucy, her eyes dark as night. After giving the curvy blonde heart palpitations, she finally spoke. "I'm going to ask you one last question. What the hell was all that at the very end?"

"What was what?" she asked, obviously lost.

"I heard the dirty talk; the moans, the howl of painful pleasure, the sheer lewdness of it all! No crawling your way out of this one!"

Lucy thought back to the situation. The more she remembered, the redder her face became. To any right-minded person, that would most definitely sound wrong. Their dialogue might as well have been taken from the page of a naughty magazine. "I... might've tried getting back at him... for spying on me..."

Erza scoffed, standing up straight. "You think I buy that? I know you're fond of your figure, but I'd have an easier time believing Gray broke his stripping habit."

Lucy groaned, rubbing her eyes in frustration. "Is it wrong for me to have a little fun? Or at the very least, some privacy?"

"What nonsense."

"Is it really? I'm clearly single, you know? I finally have the guts to go out on a limb and what happens? I get lectured. Not to be rude, Erza, but what I do behind closed doors, especially in the bathroom or with a boy, is going to stay there. Natsu might be like a brother to you for all I know. But what I do know for sure is Natsu is kind, caring and sweet. In his own way. He'd give his life if it meant one of us could live on. Just one! The fact that girls are starting to see him for the man he is should be no surprise.

"If that's not enough for you, I might as well just say it. Yeah, I'm the love-struck idiot who started noticing. The way he looks at me gives me shivers. His stupid grin. His laugh, his quirks, and even his childish behavior. I like it all. It's what makes Natsu who he is. I wouldn't have it any other way. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to win him over. If that means standing up to you, then so be it! I will! Deal with it!"

Lucy finished her impromptu speech. Tears welled up, slowly trickling down her cheeks. Rivers of emotion swirled around her mind. Anger, frustration, joy, relief, regret, embarrassment, envy, you name it.

Erza turned around, making the sword disappear. She looked back over her shoulder and smiled. "I admire your resolve, Lucy. If that's what your heart desires, follow it. Don't walk, run. Don't ever stop chasing after it." She turned away and started walking towards the door. "Once you have it in your grasp, still run after it. Act like it's too quick to keep up. That'll prove you're willing to work hard to get what you want." Erza reached for the doorknob. "One more thing. The others are waiting for us. Come down when you and Natsu are ready." She left, leaving Lucy in a puddle of joyful tears.

Happy walked over, tugging on Lucy's sock. "Hey Lucy?"

Lucy rubbed her eyes once more and looked at the blue bat. "What is it, Happy?"

"Natsu may not even know it himself, but I guarantee he feels the same way. He's dense so you'll have to get it through his thick skull." He gave Lucy his trademark smile.

"Thanks, Happy. I'll keep that in mind." Lucy's heart was filled. She earned Erza's trust. Potentially even her blessing. Something she'd never even considered possible. And yet, all she had to do was lose her temper a little bit.

"Speaking of Natsu, where is he?" asked Happy.

Lucy walked over to the bathroom, mindful of the splintered door. Natsu was still glued to the bathtub, fear petrifying him constantly. Lucy put her head down, shaking it lightly. "Good grief. Get out of the tub already, weirdo."

* * *

"This is where we're staying?" Makarov asked Jason with a bewildered expression.

"It's just so cool!" Jason freaked out and started frolicking around like a maniac.

"Alright, children. Let's not make a mess. We must prove to everyone Fairy Tail's destructive days are well behind us."

"You got it, Master!" shouted everyone.

Delilah strolled over to Master Makarov, her sway attracting all attention from Fairy Tail's male members. "Welcome, Fairy Tail! I'm Delilah, the owner of this fabulous resort! Please, if you all would follow me, I'll escort you to your designated suites."

"You heard the nice lady. Get a move on!" Makarov walked over to Delilah, adjusting his collar fashionably. "Quite a fine establishment you have here, Ms. Delilah."

Delilah smiled at the short man. "To have received a compliment from Fairy Tail's illustrious master fills me with great joy. I always ensure my guests are pleased to the highest level of comfort."

"Not to sound like a worried parent, but I understand Natsu and Lucy are here as well. Would you mind sending someone to fetch them for me? If not, I can always make Gray do it or something."

"I'm not the errand boy, Gramps."

"No need for that. Lady Erza has already seen to them. They should be down momentarily. Until then, may I show you around?"

Makarov's smile rivaled that of a child. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. On the other hand, I must see to my children first. If I let them of the hook for too long, you may be out of a business."

Delilah giggled. "Understandable. Afterwards, come find me. I promised Lucy and Natsu a tour as well. Bring them and any others wanting to come. I'd be happy to show off my handy work."

"Your kindness is greatly appreciated. I'll have them down here soon enough."

"Splendid. Now then, I'll show you to your rooms."

The hoard of guild wizards followed Delilah. The elevator she lead them to was massive. Not quite enough room for everyone, but still bigger than most. All of the ladies climbed in, the men waiting for their time.

"It' must be nice, going first all the time," Gray complained.

"We're gentlemen now. Showing Ms. Delilah how courteous we are will give us a good image. Don't screw it up." Master Makarov was desperate to make a good impression. Otherwise, they may never be allowed back.

Another elevator swooshed back to the ground floor, a man aboard instead of Delilah. "Hello. Ms. Delilah is helping the ladies. I will escort you in her stead."

"Who are you, a butler or something?" criticized Elfman.

"Absolutely. Among other things. Quincy is my name."

"Climb in. Let's not keep the man waiting."

Doing as they were told, the guys piled in, the elevator lifting them up. "I can't imagine Natsu riding this thing."

"Quite right. He took the stairs. Lady Lucy and Ms. Delilah rode the elevator."

"Figures. Just like him."

Quincy raised an eyebrow. "You seem to be agitated with Master Natsu."

"That's none of your business, pal."

"I meant no offense. Only stating my thoughts."

Gray scoffed. "Where is that hot head anyway?"

"He and Lady Lucy are staying in the King Suite. Originally, they would've taken a slightly less tier room, but they arrived well before the rest of you. As Ms. Delilah says, first come, first serve." Quincy grinned with closed lips.

"Hold up, they're staying in the same room? Like sleeping in the same bed and stuff?" Gajeel interrupted.

"I assume so. They seemed rather fond of each others' company. Kids these days can be oblivious to their own feelings."

"How right you are," added Makarov.

"Go back a sec. You're saying Lucy is sharing a room with Natsu? Natsu!" Gray said, putting his hands on Quincy's shoulders.

"Yes indeed. Is that such a hard concept to understand?"

Gray took his hands off and leaned up against the wall. "No, not really. It just seems suspicious."

They came to stop, a ding signaling they had reached their floor. "This will be your own personal floor. Their are numerous rooms. Find a suitable one and settle down. Unfortunately, some will be forced to share. Make sure you like your roommate. Switching will only be allowed for this day only. Please, enjoy your stay." Quincy gestured the group out.

"So much for an escort.." Gray mumbled, earning him stomp on the foot.

Erza walked up to the ice wizard. "Finding rooms already. Good."

"How are Natsu and Lucy?" he asked.

Erza let out a small laugh. "Unusually close."

"What does that mean?"

Erza walked over to a random room and walked in. "Come in and shut the door. This doesn't concern anyone else."

Doing as instructed, Gray walked in, the anticipation getting to him. "Alright, seriously now. What happened up there?"

Erza sat down on the nearby couch, letting the events process. "I found them in the bath together."

Gray scoffed. "So it's just as we thought. They just wanted a getaway from us. Probably to go and take advantage of each other."

"You'd be surprised. Lucy actually stood up for herself. She's not a threat in the slightest, but it was still a touching moment."

"Now this doesn't sound right. Lucy stood up to you?"

"That's what I said. Besides, she has conviction. She knows what she wants and she'll try her hardest to get it."

Gray sat down next to her. "The only thing she wants is Natsu." Gray glanced at Erza, eyes closed in thought. "Am I right?"

"You'll just have to find out for yourself."

"Fine then. I will." Gray got up and left, agitated. Erza knew the truth, but out of respect for Lucy's privacy, it didn't feel right telling someone else. Even if they were a teammate.

* * *

"I swear, it was like this close from cutting it off!" Natsu had gotten out of the bath a few minutes prior. Lucy slapped him about a million times before he came out of his terrified stupor. Now he was sitting on the side of the bed in nothing but his boxers, one leg tucked under the other. Apparently, Erza's savage stabbing managed to cut his thigh. "She was trying to cut it off! If you weren't there, Lucy, I'd be a girl by now!"

"Stop being over-dramatic. I'm sure she was only trying to scare you." Lucy was on sitting on her legs, treating Natsu's battle wound. She took a cotton ball, soaking it with rubbing alcohol. Gently, she rubbed it on the cut.

Natsu winced. "You're searing my skin off here!"

"Oh come on. You can survive nearly being burned to death every day, but this burns? Toughen up." Lucy finished cleaning off the excess blood, grabbing a bandage. "Lift it up a bit."

Natsu did as he was told, raising his leg up. Lucy began to wrap his wound, tightening as she went. "Easy. You'll cut off my circulation."

"Quit whining. It has to be tight or the bleeding won't stop. I bet you'd like to go on living." Lucy finished up, clamping it down with a few clips. "Was that so hard, you big baby?"

"Not really. I'm just glad I still have my manhood."

"Get dressed. I don't want another scene. Erza said the others were here so hop to it." Lucy put away the first aid supplies in the bathroom, Natsu watching her.

He let out a short snicker. "Look at us. Not even on a mission. Somehow, we still wind up getting hurt."

"I guess we're accident prone. I know I am. For you, that's a gigantic understatement."

Natsu limped over to his part of the dresser, grabbing a pair of black pants. "It's not my fault. The bad guys always push me over the edge."

"And what happens? You nearly get yourself killed. You should be more careful or you might end up on the wrong end of fatal attack."

"You worry too much, Luce. I haven't came across any life threatening situations in the slightest."

Lucy stopped what she was doing. Natsu just gave her a nickname. "What did you call me?" she asked, blatantly ignoring his fib.

"What? Luce?"

"Yeah, that. Where did that come from?"

Natsu shrugged. "I don't know. Just came out."

Lucy smiled, turning towards him. "I like that."

He smiled back. "Then I'll call you that from now on!"

"Not all the time." 'The others might think it's a pet name.'

"Why not? I say your name enough as it is. Luce would just lighten the load." Natsu walked over and patted Lucy's head.

"Because I said so, alright? For now, just call me that when we're alone."

"Oh I get it. You don't want the others making fun of you."

Lucy let out a small snort. "You're actually right, for once." She grabbed her travel purse. "Let's get going. If you don't hurry up, I'll leave you behind."

"Hey wait up! I'm not even fully dressed yet!"


	5. Taking A (De)tour

**Of all times for my computer to crap out. Not my computer really, just my battery. So I had to buy a new one for too much money. Oh well, life goes on.**

 **Next chapter up and running! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Lucy and Natsu arrived at the ground floor. As expected, they took the stairs, arriving much later than the rest. Even the thought of riding in an elevator made Natsu queasy. "We just had to take the stairs."

"I'm not riding in that thing! It might as well be a vehicle."

"Quit whining. The others are waiting for us." All Lucy wanted to do was scream. This was supposed to be a trip with Natsu. Just Natsu. Not the entire guild.

The two wizards walked over to the main lobby, Happy flying behind, Master Makarov and a few others waiting there. "About time you two showed up."

"Hey Gramps. Wasn't expecting the whole guild to come."

"Yes, well. Princess Hisui gave me an order. As Master, I must perform my duties. Plus, there are some very attractive ladies around here."

Speaking of attractive, Delilah walked up. "Hello again, everyone. I expected more to show up."

"They're off doing whatever. We're the only ones you need to worry about."

"Splendid. First, let me greet you all formally. As I said, I'm Delilah, owner of Akane Resort and Hotel. I know many faces, but can't match the names."

Master Makarov stepped forward. "You've met Natsu and Lucy, I take it. The big guy is my grandson, Laxus."

"Pleasure to be here," Laxus said sarcastically.

"Next is Wendy and Carla."

"Ah yes. The Sky Dragon Slayer and her feline companion. I've heard you're quite strong, despite being one of the youngest."

"Thank you. I've still got a lot to learn though," Wendy said shyly.

"Modest and cute as a button. Wonderful!"

"I'm Erza. I was the one looking for these two," she said, nudging Natsu and Lucy.

"I hope you didn't frighten them too bad. Your reputation is one of fierceness and intensity after all."

Erza beamed. "Not to brag, but I am the strongest female member in Fairy Tail."

Delilah nodded, gracefully shaking Erza's hand. "And who is this fellow here?"

"Gray Fullbuster. At your service." Gray's tone was dark. He kept eyeing Natsu and Lucy, waiting for his chance to question them.

"You use Ice Maker Magic. Such a beautiful form of magic."

"Thanks," he responded coldly.

"If that's everyone, let's get going. There's actually quite a bit to see."

The wizards followed her. They began with the lobby, vast and open. From there, she lead them to the updated casino hall. Slot machines lined the wall, rich patrons occupying many. Men in business suits sat around gambling tables, playing poker, craps, roulette, blackjack and numerous other gambling games. On the far side, a large bar took most of the space. Exquisite wines and spirits, champagnes aged to perfection, hefty hard liquors for the more experienced drinkers. As you can guess, Cana had already downed a bottle, flirting with the bar tender.

"She seems to be enjoying herself," Delilah said, chipper and soft.

"Better keep an eye on her. She'll drink up all your product," Laxus said, smirking.

"If she can pay for it all, she's welcome to as much as her heart desires."

"Don't let her hear you say that!" Natsu grabbed Lucy hand and swooshed over to a machine. "Come on, Luce, let's win some cash!"

"We're on a tour here. We can do this later."

"Please. I don't need a tour. I never get lost."

"Don't listen to him, Lucy! He gets lost all the time," Happy called the bluff.

"Butt out, Happy. I'll just get one those hotel map things."

Lucy sighed. Delilah and the others were already moving along. "Fine, you can stay here. I want to see the rest of the place."

Natsu stopped, standing perfectly still. "I get it. You just want to be the others."

"Really? Don't be like that."

"This was supposed to be just the two of us. What happened to all that?" Natsu said.

"On that note, I'm going to be with my love, Carla! Bye guys!" Happy flew off after the group, leaving Natsu and Lucy in an awkward silence.

"Alright. If that's how you want to be." Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand and started pulling him away. "We'll just have to make sure they don't find us."

"Good idea!" Natsu moved his hand, waffling his fingers with hers. "Let's see if we can find that new food building!"

"Sounds like a good idea." Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand tighter. Holding hands wasn't a big deal, but with their fingers laced, it felt right. So right, neither of them noticed their friends stalking them from afar.

Natsu snatched up a pamphlet from the bar. It had trivia about the resort and hotel, suggestions for those without creativity, and a map. "Alright, let's see. According to this map, the food building is... All the way across the park." Natsu sighed. "Guess we better get going."

Lucy moved in closer. "No need to rush. Let's take our time. If we get distracted, it just means more fun."

Natsu perked up again. "You're right! We have all the time in the world! Seeing everything in one day is boring. We'll see it all at our own pace." He paused and looked down. After looking at the map, he must have grabbed her hand again. Once again, their fingers waffled. Lucy's smaller hand fit in his better than two puzzle pieces. He looked back at her face, seeing her small blush. "Are you wearing perfume?"

Lucy went a darker shade of red. "Yeah. Is that a bad thing?"

"Not really. It smells good. I just prefer your natural scent." Something felt different. Their friendship had grown exponentially since that fateful day in Hargeon. A year or so, mixed in with the weird time skip, meant they had technically been friends for quite some time. Yet, in all that time, he never once considered trying to be more.

"R-really?" stuttered the blushing blonde.

Seeing Lucy getting flustered at his comment signaled a growing suspicion. Maybe Lucy felt the same way? Care and worry were all good and well, but this new feeling. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt. Or rather, hadn't felt in many years. When reflecting back, this new feeling reminded him of two people. One being the buxom girl holding his hand; two was Lisanna. "Don't get me wrong, I like the smell of flowers as much as the next person, but the way you smell normally is the best. Your scent makes me feel all warm inside. Then again, could just be heartburn."

Just like Natsu to end a sweet remark with a dash of clueless. "Whichever it is, that's still sweet of you."

Natsu tightened his grip. "Sweet? I don't know about that. I'm only being honest."

The pair started walking at leisurely pace. "You're always pretty honest. I really admire that." Lucy shouldered her purse, grabbing Natsu's arm instead. Dating or not, she was happy. Seeing the looks on all the strangers made her heart, as well as her ego, jump for joy.

"It's not that I don't like lying. I'll probably forget the lie I tried telling. Being honest is easier." He sneaked a glance at her. She seemed happy. Seeing her smile made him happy right alongside her. An anxious feeling started tugging at his stomach. Was he nervous? There shouldn't be any reason for it! He looked at Lucy again, the feeling popping up again. Lucy must have been the cause.

"Is that so? Then tell me, Mr. Honest, what are you thinking about?" Lucy questioned, her curiosity peaking. It could be a lost cause, but even the tiniest shred of hope was enough.

A drop of sweat appeared on Natsu's forehead. Stiffening up, he came to an abrupt halt. "I'm not sure really."

"What? Something bothering you? You can tell me," Lucy said, trying not to sound worried.

Natsu let go of her hand and turned to her. "Listen, Lucy. I can't get this idea out of my head. It's not even an idea really. It's more of a... feeling."

Lucy clutched her purse, heart rate speeding up. "Go on."

Natsu groaned, putting his hands on his head. "Man, I'm no good at this. I get this feeling in my stomach, like I'm nervous. But only at certain times. And then there's this stupid thought nagging at the back of my head. It's all just so weird. I don't know what do to about any of this."

That small shred of hope began to weave. "I... think I might have a guess."

"Really? Tell me!" Natsu turned his undivided attention to Lucy.

She should've expected to be put on the spot, but now that it happened, her own stomach was doing back flips. She inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly. Her heart was pounding like a drum, bursting out of her chest. "Uh... for experiments' sake..." She paused, looking in his eyes. "When do you feel nervous exactly?"

Natsu's own heart began to pick up speed. The tugging turned into downright cramping. "If I say this, please don't get mad at me." He put the best serious face he could, Lucy waiting in suspense. "I feel it when I look at you."

Lucy's heart went from a drum to an entire marching corp. Her internal self was screaming. Nerves overwhelming her thoughts, she began to understand. "Are... are you saying I make you nervous?" she managed to speak. Playing it safe seemed like the right thing. And part of her was enjoying the situation way too much.

"No. Of course not! It's not like a scared kind of nervous like when Erza threatens me. It's different. My mind keeps giving me these thoughts. I've thought about listening to them, but I don't..."

"You don't want to feel rejected."

Their eyes met, the two hearts racing. Natsu stared into the pair of brown eyes before him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a drop of sweat streaming down Lucy's cheek. That's when it clicked. "Lucy, I... I think I get it."

Lucy tensed instinctively. "Get what?" she whispered.

He leaned in next to her ear. "I think I figured out what this feeling is... Lucy, I... I think I lo-"

"So, what are you guys talking about?" Gray interrupted, draping an arm over Lucy.

Natsu's increased heart rate switched from nerves to pure rage. "Get out of here!" Natsu yelled. He kicked the ever convenient ice wizard into the nearest slot machine. "We were in the middle of something! Go do your strip tease the next room over!"

"What's your problem?" Gray shot up and grabbed Natsu by the collar.

"My problem is you always interrupting me!" Natsu mimicked Gray, snagging his necklace, his shirt going missing some time ago.

"I've been meaning to ask you two something. Since none of our guildmates are here, I think now's the perfect time."

"Just spill it. I'm impatient and we've got somewhere to be."

Gray shoved the fire wizard away. "What the hell is going on between you two? Erza said something happened. Damn it, I'm on the team too. I deserve to know."

"Is that it? Fine. Accidents happen. These weird robot arms put me and Lucy in that bath together. Then Erza barges in and tries to skewer my sausage!"

"After that, he couldn't even move. Erza scared him pretty bad."

If it had been any other circumstance, Gray would've burst out laughing. But another man nearly getting an unwanted castration gave even him the chills. "I imagine. Then what happened?"

"Then I told her off. She wouldn't listen and I lost my temper. I told her how I felt and that was that. She left shortly after." Spending time with the brave, or perhaps foolish, Natsu was starting to rub off on Lucy. Boldness wasn't really her strong suit.

"I don't buy that. She said something about conviction. What goal are you trying to achieve here, Lucy?" Gray was steadily getting agitated with each passing second.

"Listen, Gray. What I told Erza is between the two of us. And what I do shouldn't be anyone's business but mine." Gray wasn't the only one agitated.

"I think I've figured it out. Erza wouldn't just stop what she was doing unless you told her something important. I've been awfully suspicious and I think I know exactly what it is now." Gray smirked. Lucy's sudden look of fear was all the proof he needed.

Erza walked over and punched him in the head. "Leave it be!"

"Jeez, Erza! What the hell?"

"Circumstances have changed. Leave them alone for now." Erza slipped Lucy a wink.

"Seriously? Quit leaving me in the dark you guys!" Gray was one step away from hurting someone.

"Fine. If you must know, it's my time of the month. You know, the gross thing girls do? Yeah, that's it. Now beat it."

Gray's face went from victorious to defeated. "Gross man. I'm out of here." Gray stomped off. Still believing his suspicion was right, he planned on coming back later. When Natsu and Erza weren't around.

"Pay no attention to him. He's always grumpy nowadays. I'll keep him off you. Either that or Juvia will." Erza walked off after Gray.

"The nerve of that guy! Why can't they just leave us the hell alone?" Natsu continued to mumble under his breath, leaving Lucy in a state of confusion.

"Hey, Natsu?" she said, grabbing to back of his shirt.

"Huh? What's up, Luce?" he said nonchalantly.

Lucy's face started heating up again. "Not trying to be pushy here, but... What were you saying a moment ago?"

Natsu scratched his head. His mind searched the fuzzy thoughts, trying to find the right one. When he found it, his face went red. "Oh yeah. That." He frantically began to think of a lie. If he kept his heart rate up, he'd have a heart attack for sure. "I think a lot about you. I don't want to see you sad. Seeing you cry makes so angry. I want to find whoever did that to you and breath their nose." Even in a blind panic, Natsu still managed to tell the truth. Honesty had a way of taking over his words.

Lucy was a bit disappointed. Granted, Natsu did take a step in the right direction, but as far as getting serious, not so much. She processed his words and decided on her next move. "I think about you too. I know you're tough so don't even say anything. I still worry about you. Every time I see you fight, it scares me half to death. I just can't help but imagine you getting seriously hurt. But seeing you happy is all that matters. Not any of that sad stuff."

Natsu smiled. "You're right. What do you say we finally get some food?"

Lucy stomach growled in agreement. "You bet! I'll race you there!" She took off in the direction of the food court, Natsu following, enjoying the view.

* * *

Gray stomped off, grumbling to himself. "You know what? I'm not taking that crap."

"Stop, Gray. If you want to know so bad, I'll tell." Erza grabbed Gray's arm, pulling him back.

"So now you're willing help? Please. Just go away already."

"Would you grow up for once? The only reason I chose not to tell you was for Lucy's privacy. When she spoke to me after the whole bath incident, she drove that point home."

"Privacy? She's one to talk about privacy. Why does she always end up flashing someone?"

"You have no room to talk. I'm sure Wendy is scarred for life from how many times she's seen your-"

"Alright alright, I get it. But you get where I'm going." Gray started walking again, Erza in step beside him. "It gets old, seeing those two all over each other. Not like I care that they are. I just find it real hard to believe nothing is going on."

"You have a keen eye." Erza grabbed Gray's hand.

"What the heck are you doing?" he protested.

"I don't know. What am I doing?"

"You're holding my hand. Like we're a thing or something." Gray tried to squirm free, but Erza only squeezed harder. "Seriously, Erza. Let go before one the guys sees us."

"If they try to say anything, I'll deal with them. Back to the point, yes, I'm holding your hand. Are we in a relationship?" Gray shook his head. "Do we share romantic feelings?"

"Not on my end. Can't say for sure about you."

Erza punched him in the shoulder. "Stay focused. And no, I do not." She stopped and turned, facing him still clutching his hand. "Can you look me in the eyes?"

Gray was looking off the side, not wanting to draw anymore attention. "Not when you're like this. I don't have a clue what's going on inside your head."

Erza smacked his arm. "Focus! Now answer this question and don't take it the wrong way. Do you love me?"

Gray freaked. He desperately tried to take his hand back. "Oh come on, not you too! I already have one crazy stalker after me! I couldn't handle two. Especially if the other is you!"

"Did you not here what I said? I said don't take it the wrong way! What I'm really saying is do you care for me? Do you want me to be happy? Not if you want to take me to a love hotel!"

Gray stiffened his body. "So... do I think of you as a..."

"One of your special people. Not your true love anything cheesy like that. Am I a person you cherish?"

Gray relaxed his muscles, understanding Erza. "Oh. Yeah, of course. You're like my family."

"Exactly. That's what love is. You can love someone and not be attracted to them. If you care for their well being without wanting to get romantically involved, it's still love. The way Bisca and Alzack love Asuka. The way Elfman loves Mirajane and Lisanna. Or the way Master loves Laxus. When you have a bond that transcends family, friendship and partnership, you get love. I love you, Natsu, Lucy and all our friends at Fairy Tail. Do you see what I'm saying?"

Gray stood there, ponder all that he heard. "I think I get it. Lucy and Natsu's bond is past the love of family. They love each other romantically, not just as friends."

"I can't say for certain about Natsu, but Lucy told me so herself. You didn't hear that from me." Erza let go of Gray's hand. "Now if you'll excuse me, that poker table is calling my name."

"Wait up." Gray caught up and matched his stride. "Thanks Erza."

"No need to thank me. I was just finding a way to tell you without actually telling you. And maybe even helped you out with your own issues."

"Yeah, I don't know about that. Speaking of issues, if Juvia saw what happened back there, I'll be getting an earful later."

"Have fun with that."

* * *

Natsu and Lucy walked into the food building, adequately named The Akane Eatery. Inside the building was an enormous spread of cuisine. All-you-can-eat buffet tables, a beautifully crafted sushi bar, hibachi grills with seating for a small village, and dessert counter with enough sweets to put the whole nation into a sugar coma. "I knew this would be the place to go! All-you-can-eat food baby!" Natsu sprinted off, grabbing a plate and piling it with a bit of everything.

Lucy giggled at the sight. She followed suit, grabbing her own plate but with a lot small portions. The smell was enough to arouse even the pickiest of appetites. With her plate in hand, she walked over to one of the empty tables. She went to grab a glass of water and still managed to beat Natsu.

He got back to the table carrying a few enormous platters of food. "This VIP Access stuff is worth it! We don't have to pay for any of this!"

"Wow. I'm glad for that. It would cost a small fortune to feed you here." Lucy smiled and began to eat. "You gotta try the barbecue. The beef is amazing!"

"Way ahead of you!" Natsu said, already tearing apart a juicy steak.

Lucy ended up staring at Natsu. Any sane person would look the other way. His eating habits were something out of a nature documentary. To Lucy, it wasn't anything new. In fact, seeing Natsu eat made her happy. Natsu eating means he'd gain more strength. And more strength meant he'd be tougher. Less worrying for her in the long run.

As she sat there, eyeing the carnivorous weirdo, her mind began to drift. 'We've had some crazy adventures. Always getting into trouble, starting fights and destroying half the city. I'm not sure where I would be if I hadn't bumped into Natsu. I probably would've ended up joining some other guild. By some stoke of luck, I ended up joining my dream guild. And it's been everything I dreamed of plus more. With friends like mine, it's hard not to love Fairy Tail. Natsu just makes things a hundred times better.'

"Whatcha thinking about over there?" Natsu interrupted her daydream.

"Oh. Nothing really. Just all the good times we've had." Lucy realized she was staring at him the whole time. Probably looking like a psychopath.

"Oh yeah? Which times? We've had so many, it's hard to find just one." Natsu started eating slower, eagerly waiting for Lucy's response.

"Just a few random ones. Like that time you suplexed me in the pool."

Natsu started laughing, his mouth full of food. He couldn't help but swallow it whole before he choked to death. "Oh man. I got you so good!" He continued his outburst, drawing attention to their table.

"Yeah, I know. Almost ripped my bathing suit off too. I see you, thinking you're all sly." Lucy winked before starting to eat again.

"You remember that time we fought that fat guy from Grimoire Heart? He had that weird little cursed doll thingy."

"Oh yeah. And you made me do some of your moves. Which reminds me, more often than not, I end up getting burned by you. I'm not fireproof like you are, you know."

"You've survived this long. If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Natsu had already polished off his first helping of food. "I'm gonna get some more. You want anything?"

Lucy eyed the sushi bar. "Get me the best sushi they have! It's been a while since I've had sushi anyway. Might as well get the best!"

"You got it! I'll have them whip us up the finest sushi in town!" Natsu ran off towards the bar, a waiter quickly clearing off his side of the table.

"It's bad for pregnant women to eat seafood."

"Loke. Why are you here? And I'm not pregnant, you creep!"

Loke grinned and sat down in Natsu's spot. "Sorry to interrupt your date, but there's something I think you'll find interesting." Loke took out a book, about the size of your average childlike chapter book. "In here, it states what might happen when two people are in love."

Lucy blushed. "Hold on a second. That's like literally anything. One minute, a girl could be happy and the next, she could be tearing the guy apart!"

"No no no, I mean when dealing with the Zodiac. Each and every person born in Earthland will fall under a specific Zodiac spirit's time affinity. In other words, if you're born in November, you'll most likely be affiliated with Scorpio. If you're born in May, it's most likely going to be Gemini. Yours falls under Cancer."

"What does any of this have to do with me and Natsu?" Lucy asked impatiently.

"I'm getting to that. With you being affiliated with Cancer, there's certain things that could happen."

"But in order for you to know, don't you need Natsu's birthday?"

"Normally, yes. But ask Natsu yourself. He doesn't even know his own birthday. Not sure how anyone could forget their own date of birth, but it is Natsu."

"Tell me about it. He'd probably forget his own name if we didn't yell at him all the time." Lucy glanced over towards the buffet table. Luckily, Natsu was waiting in line, his back turned. "What does any of this matter then? If you need both birthdays, I guess we're just screwed."

Loke pushed up his sunglasses. "Not quite. You see, I've been talking with a few of the others. You know Natsu pretty well already. If you were to figure out some of his more private interests, his habits or even his flaws, that might be enough to make an educated guess."

Lucy was puzzled, her brow furrowing slightly. "What's with all this sudden help, huh? Normally you'd be all over me."

Loke smirked, but only partially. "You'll always be my girl, but that doesn't mean you'll be my lady."

"Being honest here, that was pretty smooth. Why does it feel like I'm the one being rejected though?"

"Not being rejected but pushed towards another. Face it, I don't have to explain why or how I know. The point is, you know you love Natsu. You like to make us happy, so we all thought we could try and help you out here. Not insulting you or anything like that. You know how stubborn and dense that hot head can be."

"So you guys thought using a horoscope was going to work?"

"Better than nothing. All the girls aren't what you'd call charmers. They all look finer than a bouquet of roses, but looks can only get you so far." Loke slid the book over to Lucy. "If you manage to get anything out of Natsu, look in here. Figuring out what Zodiac he lands under could help you out in the long run."

Lucy sighed and shrugged. "What else do I have to lose? Thanks Loke. Tell the others I said thanks to them too. And one more thing, tell Virgo to cut back on the punishment fetish. It gets old."

"Really now? You might want to ask Virgo for some advice. It may come in handy down the road."

"Get out of here, creep!" Lucy swooshed Loke's key, closing his gate.

"Later gorgeous!" he called out before returning back.

Lucy rubbed her temples. As if Natsu wasn't a handful, Loke just made things even more stress inducing. She looked up and saw the fire wizard heading toward the table. Quickly, she snatched the book and stuffed in her purse. "About time. Was there a long line or something?"

"Sorry about that. Everyone is dying to get to get a taste of this stuff. Must be really good if even the rich people start begging." Natsu set the plate down in front of Lucy, licking his lips in the process. "It does look really tasty."

Lucy's mouth watered. "Oh boy. I'm really glad we don't have to pay for this. This looks expensive." Lucy grabbed a pair of chopsticks, taking the nearest bit of sushi. She popped it in her mouth, flavor exploding over every taste bud. "Whoa... this is the most delicious thing I've ever tasted..."

Natsu couldn't hold his excitement in any longer. Eagerly, he snatched a piece of the sushi, scarfing it down. "Man, you weren't kidding! This is the bomb!" Natsu was about to grab another, but retracted his arm. "Sorry, you eat first."

"What? Why?" she asked, reaching for another sushi bit.

"I got those for you. I'll just get my own later." Natsu chugged the last of his water. "Besides, that dessert table is calling my name."

"Are you sure? I don't know if I'll be able to eat all of it." Lucy knew she could eat every last bit of sushi in the whole place, but she felt bad for leaving Natsu out. Not to mention, her insecurity usually prevented her from eating her fill. Happy's reoccurring weight comments didn't exactly help either.

"I'll eat what you don't." Natsu noticed Lucy picking around the plate. It was subtle, but he heard Lucy's stomach growl. "Hey. Eat. I won't judge you for eating. If you eat more than I do, I won't think any less of you. I'd probably be really impressed. Go on, Luce. Eat up." After that, Natsu attacked the defenseless pies and cakes that littered the dessert table.

Lucy smiled. Natsu must've heard her stomach growl. Still a bit unsure, she began to easily down the remainder of the sushi. Despite legitimately eating, she kept up her proper table manners. When Natsu came back with the sweets, she felt the etiquette slipping away. She grabbed a pie and selfishly ate it, using two forks. Natsu saw this and laughed, mimicking her with a cake.

The two polished off the desserts, sitting back in there chairs, bellies full and happy. "Dang, Luce. You were keeping up with me."

Lucy blushed, covering her slightly protruding stomach. "Sorry... I got a bit carried away." She looked down in shame, poking the food baby.

Natsu belched loudly. "What's to be sorry about? All I saw was a hungry girl getting a bite to eat." Natsu smiled, letting his own belly stick out with pride. "The way I see it? We just like to eat. No crime there."

Natsu's last comment got Lucy thinking. Would food preference decide his Zodiac sign? One way to find out. "You seem to like everything. You made a heavy dent in the buffet."

"Well yeah. I like to try a bit of everything. Especially spicy food! I ate this spicy pepper chicken they had. Man, it was hot. Just like I like it."

'He loves spicy food,' Lucy made a mental note. "I can't handle spicy. Only in small doses." Feeling the call of nature, Lucy got up. "I'm going to the restroom. I'll be right back."

"I'll be here. I don't think I could move if I wanted to." He waved her off, leaning back further.

Lucy hurried to the nearest restroom. After sitting down in a stall, she brought the book out. Flipping through the pages, she caught a glimpse of the word 'food.' Turning back, it was just what she needed. Food preferences for each sign. 'Let's see here. People with Aries' sign like spicy food. Sounds like Natsu. But people under Taurus eat a lot. Huh? Cancers don't share their food? I don't have a problem sharing. I guess it's just in general.' Lucy finished her business, stuffing the book back in her purse. She washed her hands and walked back out to her table.

"Everything come out okay?" Natsu asked.

"Like I'd tell you. That's private business." Lucy grabbed his hand. "Come on. I want to ride some rides!"

"Rides? Oh no. I just ate! If I try to ride something, I'll blow chunks everywhere!"

"I didn't say you had to ride any. But you did say this for me, right?" Lucy wasn't intentionally taking advantage of Natsu's words, but in this case, she figured being a little selfish was acceptable.

Natsu groaned. "Fine. But I mean it. No roller coasters or flying machines for me!"

As if on cue, Wendy came running up to the couple. "There you guys are! I've been looking everywhere for you, Natsu."

"For me? What for? I'm not in trouble, am I?"

Wendy shook her head. "Nothing like that. Master gave me an idea earlier and I wanted to see if it'll work or not."

Natsu stood up, cracking his back. "What is this idea? Better not involve a vehicle unless your Troia spell starts working again."

"Funny you should say this." Carla flew up, a small flask in her paws. "This is a potion made by Porlyusica. She used it to help heal Master Makarov. He said I should try using my Troia spell on it. Maybe it would take on the same affects!"

"Wendy, that's a great idea! Master sure is smart." Lucy took the bottle and poured a little bit in Natsu's empty water glass. It was the same color as Wendy's magic, bubbling up from the bottom.

"Hold on. How do I know this stuff will work? And why haven't you told me about it sooner?"

"Well that's why we're here. To see if it'll work or not. Wendy just told you a moment ago."

"Don't be rude, Carla." Wendy to the glass, swirling the potion around. "I could only do the spell for about ten minutes before I ran out of magic power. I gave it all I had. If it doesn't work now, I'll keep doing the spell later. I'm determined to help."

"What a perfect set of circumstances. I was about to go on a few of the rides. Why don't we try it out on one of those?" Lucy said, encouraging the younger girl.

"Sounds like a plan to me. It's up to Natsu though." The girls turned to him.

Natsu had his arms crossed, looking away. "Fine. But if I puke, don't blame me." He took the glass, gulping down the potion. "I don't know. I don't feel any different."

"Enough wasting time! We don't know how long this stuff will last!" Lucy grabbed Natsu by the arm, pulling him outside, Wendy and Carla following. "That looks like a good one!"

"That one!?" Lucy dragged Natsu to a huge roller coaster. It was taller than most other rides. It had a lot of twists and turns, upside down loops, and a spot where it was almost perpendicular to the ground. "I feel sick just looking at it!"

"No backing out now. Get your butt up there!" Lucy kicked him toward the ride.

"You're not coming with me?" he complained.

"Are you crazy? If this potion doesn't work, I don't want you puking all over me! Just go by yourself."

Natsu gulped, turning toward the metal monstrosity. Reluctantly, he walked up to the gate. The man operating the ride lead him directly to the front where there was one empty seat right in the middle. It was one of those rides where you left the legs hanging. He strapped Natsu in between two kids, both of which seemed braver than the Dragon Slayer.

"Are you sure he can handle this?" questioned Carla.

"He'll be fine. He's rode a dragon before. This roller coaster should be a piece of cake."

Speaking of cake, Natsu burped, a chunk of his chocolate cake he ate earlier popping back up for a second taste. He swallowed again, starring up at the inclining ride. Quickly, he took off his scarf, tossing it to Lucy. "Hold on to that! I don't want to lose it!"

"Will do! Have fun!"

"Yeah right!" Natsu was already in the works of a plan to get Lucy back. This was pure torture as far as he was concerned. And the ride hadn't even started yet!

"Be sure to hold on tightly. This ride is a bit longer than most, so holding on might get a little difficult. But don't fret. Our restraints can hold anyone in place at any speed. If everyone has signed the waiver, let's get his show on the road!" The worker pulled the lever, the ride moving forward.

"Wait, what waiver?" Natsu screamed. "I didn't sign anything yet!" His yelling fell on deaf ears. The ride continued on. "Oh man, I can already feel it coming on." His stomach began to rumble.

"I got a bad feeling about this. Maybe we should've picked a smaller one." Wendy looked on, anxiety taking hold.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. They only make you sign those things for safety's sake. Accidents never happen anyway."

The ride screeched on, mere feet away from the apex of the hill. Natsu had barely managed to keep his cool. When the ride reached the top, his composure literally flew away. The ride flew down with blazing speed. It rounded the first turn, Natsu shifting in his harness. Either the potion wasn't working or the sheer speed of the ride was too much. He could feel the motion in every fiber. The first loop came quickly, the passengers yelling in excitement. All except Natsu, who was screaming for his life. Immediately after the first loop was a helix, spinning and twirling, the legs of passengers swaying like twigs in a hurricane. Following was back to back loops, both causing a surge of adrenaline. Natsu was finally starting to grow accustom to the spinning and flipping. He raised his arms, letting the ride carry him away. Forgetting his motion sickness, he started shouting with the others, his excitement taking over. In the blink of an eye, they slowed down back at the starting point, hair messy, clothes wrinkled and some missing a shoe or two.

Natsu walked down to Lucy and the others, face in turned up in a smile. "That was the best thing in the world!"

Wendy sighed in relief. "I'm so glad it works! I was worried you were going to be sick at the beginning."

Lucy snickered. "I'll say it worked. That was over five minutes of nonstop action. Pretty impressive, Wendy."

Wendy blushed. "I don't deserve all the credit. It was Master's idea."

"I don't care whose idea it was, I have to do that again before this stuff wears off! Come on, Luce! You're gonna scream your head off!" Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand, pulling her towards the ride.

"Did Natsu just call her 'Luce?'" Carla questioned curiously.


	6. (Con)fused Together

**Well, here we are! Sorry for the sudden delay, had some stuff come up. Then I got lazy. All in all, let's just say I hope the rest of this year turns out better than the beginning.**

 **By the way, I apologize if this seems a little rushed. I just started a new job, so chapters might be less frequent. Well, more frequent that this latest time, but I'll try to shoot for at least a chapter a week. So sorry for those of you dying!**

 **Enough babbling from me. Hope you enjoy the first chapter of the new year!**

* * *

Natsu and Lucy sat on a bench, enjoying some ice cream. Sweat stains dotted their clothes, just barely damp from the constant motion. "Man. That gives you a rush!" Natsu said, breathing erratic.

"Tell me about it. With all the commotion last time, I never went on a single ride." Lucy licked her cone, the frozen treat cooling her insides.

"If I didn't get motion sick all the time, I'm sure a lot of things would be pretty awesome!" Natsu pulled his shirt in and out, sending the air whooshing on his skin, cooling him down.

"Be sure to thank Wendy again. And Master Makarov, the next time you see them. Without this potion, you would've blew chunks all over those kids!"

Natsu let a comforting laugh. "Speaking of Wendy, I wonder where she ran off to. Eh, doesn't matter. This is me and you time." Natsu scooted closer, putting his arm over Lucy's shoulder. "This beats working any day!"

Lucy glanced up at her companion. The way he put his arm around her so casually made it look like they really were dating. To even more surprise, she wasn't blushing. She moved a bit closer, continuing to eat her ice cream. "What do you want to do after this?" she asked, a content smile on her face.

"I don't know. There's a ton of rides we haven't been on yet. I say we leave those for tomorrow." Natsu took a bite, taking off the top of his neatly swirled cone. "Ah! Brain freeze!"

Lucy giggled. "Who takes bites of ice cream? Weirdos like you, that's who." Lucy slurped up the last bit of ice cream, crunching down the waffle cone shortly after. "Do you still have that pamphlet?"

"You mean the map thing? Yeah, right here." Natsu took out the pamphlet, handing it Lucy. "You think it'll give us some ideas?"

"Sure it will. Let me see here." Lucy checked the table of contents, looking for any information. She then turned to a page marked 'Popular Attractions.' "Says here they have an astronomy tower."

"Agronomy tower?"

"No, you big dork. Astronomy. You know, the study of stars and planets?"

Natsu was utterly confused. "So what they do is look at stars all the time?" he asked, clearly clueless.

"Yes and no. Not just look at them, but study them. Some work on mapping the sky, finding new constellations or search for strange phenomena." Lucy's eyes beamed with curiosity.

"You're using too many big words here." Natsu scarfed down the remaining portion of his ice cream, cone and all.

"Whoa! It even has dates for meteor showers!"

"What's a meteor?" Natsu questioned, evidently still lost.

"Seriously? A meteor is a fancy word for falling star. A meteor shower is when there's a bunch of falling stars, all passing by at the same time. Read a book for once."

"Oh, I get it. That actually sounds pretty cool. You want to check it out?"

Lucy's eyes went big, like a child receiving a new toy. "You mean it?"

"Sure. With all the running around we were doing, I didn't realize how close it was to nighttime."

Lucy's excitement grew. Even though she already kissed Natsu a couple times, neither one felt truly satisfying. To have their first real kiss under a meteor shower seemed like any girl's romantic fantasy. "It just so happens there's a meteor shower tonight! Only a small one, but get this. On my birthday, theirs supposed to be a complete meteor shower!"

Natsu snickered at Lucy's enthusiasm. "You really like this stuff, huh?" He stood and brushed himself off. "How much time until it's supposed to start?"

"We have about an hour and a half. Until then, you want try some of those slot machines? I'm feeling lucky!"

"You can if you want to." Natsu sniffed himself. "I reek. I'm gonna go up to the room and take a shower. You're welcome to come. Just make sure we don't have another incident like earlier."

Even though she resisted blushing earlier, it mattered little. Her face was increasing in color, her normal paleness a canvas for emotions. "Oh... If you say so. I didn't get to take one earlier either." The thought of ending up in the bathtub with Natsu again gave her chills. "I guess I need to finish what I started."

Lucy wasn't the only one thinking back to the scene. Natsu couldn't bring himself to forget what happened. The fear Erza cemented in him mixed with all the signals Lucy threw his way made it memorable as could be. "Well... I guess we better get going."

"Sounds good." Lucy grabbed her purse, trying to hide her trembling. Why did she keep feeling like this? These nerves shouldn't be that bad. They were closer than ever, yet even now she was shaking worse than a leaf in the wind.

Natsu had a thought cross his mind. "Not trying to kill the mood here, but what was Gray talking about earlier? I know you said it was between you and Erza, but I can't help wondering."

Lucy clenched her fists, determined to quit shaking. "Oh... Nothing that serious. She just wanted to know what happened. Like how we ended up in the tub together."

"Is that it? Gray was making a fool out of himself for nothing then. That guy needs to practice anger management."

Lucy let a shaky giggle. "You should take your own advice. I imagine your stress level is through the roof."

Natsu scratched the back of his head. "Not really," he lied. The truth was he was stressed to the max. But not in the typical sense. With the new feelings resurfacing constantly, it's a wonder he could still function normally. Hopefully Lucy didn't see through his act.

"Well, just so you know, if you ever need to vent, I'm here. Everyone gets stressed once in a while," she said.

Natsu gave a smile in return. "Thanks, Luce." He turned away, walking in step.

The two wizards continued on in comfortable silence, the awkwardness from moments ago a distant memory. Natsu kept sneaking glances towards his female counterpart, unknowing she was doing the same.

"There you two are!"

They stopped and face the voice. It was Delilah, followed by a few younger ladies wearing dresses equally as nice. "Oh, hey there, Delilah," Natsu said casually.

"These are two wondrous people are two famed wizards from Fairy Tail!" Delilah told the posse of girls behind her.

Immediately after, the group swarmed them with questions and comments.

"HUH! Are you Natsu Dragneel?"

"That has to be him!"

"He's a lot shorter than I imagined."

"Who cares? He's such a hunk!"

The swooning and yammering continued. Lucy's jealous rage was surging towards the top. She raised her hand, about to silence them. Before she could utter a word, they switched their attention to her.

"This has to be Lucy!"

"Who else would it be? These two never go anywhere without each other!"

"Are they dating or something?"

"I hope not! I wanted a shot with Natsu!"

"Girls, girls. Settle down," Delilah commanded. "You'll have every opportunity to talk with them later."

"But Ms. Delilah? You know we wanted to meet him!"

"Yeah, can't we talk to them for a little bit?"

"At another time. It's obvious they were going somewhere. It would be rude to interrupt them. They are here to relax and have a nice time. Just like all of you. Now move along. We still have much to see and night is fast approaching. Heavens, it's already getting dark outside!" The girls walked on, heads low, faces smug. "Sorry about that. They can be quite a handful."

Lucy was clenching her fist, her nails getting close to breaking the skin. "Who were they?" she said, disdain evident in her voice.

"Daughters of wealthy dukes and lords. They came to stay for a few days. Their fathers come here once a month to gamble and get away from their troubles. Not to mention their wives and daughters. Unfortunately for them, they were forced to bring the girls. Their wives are having their own getaway. I find it funny!" Delilah smiled at Natsu.

"They seem a little young," he stated confused.

"Not as young as you think. Only a year or two younger the both of you! Anyway, I'm glad I caught you." Delilah took out an envelope, neat cursive lettering on the front.

Lucy took it, pushing her anger back down. "What's this?" she asked.

"Obviously it's an invitation. It says it right there."

"I can read, dummy. I mean, an invitation to what exactly?"

Delilah clapped her hands excitedly. "That is a formal invitation to my grand banquet!"

Natsu scratched his ear. "Oh yeah? You having a party or something?"

"Not just a party. A glorious celebration! Since all of my renovations went smoothly, I felt the desire to mark this momentous occasion with a gathering to rival all others!"

Lucy's grimace turned into a smile. "That's so thoughtful of you. Thank you for inviting us," she said, genuine sincerity in her voice.

"No need for thanks. You are esteemed guests! To have such honorable wizards at my banquet would be the crowning achievement." Delilah glanced at Natsu, shivers going up her spine. "Before you ask, all the details are on the invitation itself. Be sure to dress nice!" She walked off, but not before blowing a kiss Natsu's way.

"What is with all the girls on this trip?" he questioned.

Lucy was back up to crimson rage. "I'm about one step away from crushing the next girl that talks to you!" Lucy yelled.

"Is that so?" Erza said, walking up behind the pair.

Lucy shrieked, flinching behind Natsu. "I'm sorry, Erza!"

Erza laughed. "Relax. I'm not here to cause trouble."

Lucy let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. I was so frustrated, I didn't even hear you walk up."

"Let me guess. You met the set of rich girls."

Natsu yawned, getting bored of the situation. "Yeah. Real annoying, if you ask me." Natsu noticed Lucy was still holding on to him. Not that he was complaining.

"Besides them, what was it you wanted?" Lucy asked kindly.

Erza glanced at Natsu. "Would you excuse for a moment?" she asked the Dragon Slayer.

"Sure. Beats standing around here. When you're done, meet up in the room, Lucy. I'm gonna take that shower before you get there." Natsu felt a stab of fear. He quickly switched to Erza. "I mean, yeah. Of course! Why wouldn't I shower when you're away? I have manners! I definitely don't want to see you naked again or anything..."

"You're just embarrassing yourself. Get out of here already!" Lucy pushed off, Natsu sprinting away, just in case Erza were to give chase.

"He's still traumatized. How cute." Erza scoffed to herself. "Walk with me?"

"Alright, but I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"You'll see," said Erza, enjoying the look of apprehension on Lucy's face.

The female wizards strolled for a few steps before Erza began again.

"How are you and Natsu doing?"

Lucy let out yet another relief-filled sigh. "Honestly, I think it's going good." 'Is Erza actually trying girl talk with me?' she thought to herself.

"That's good to hear. I was worried his stubbornness would get the best of you. But I will say this. You're the only one with patience enough to connect with him on a personal level."

Lucy was slightly stunned. Not so long ago, Erza was about to kill them, metaphorically and literally. Now, here she was, giving her compliments and gossiping like nothing ever happened. It was amazing how Erza's mood could switch so quickly. Flattery aside, Lucy was still a little cautious. "Sorry for sounding rude, but when did you start caring?" Lucy risked a question.

"A good question. Being honest here, I'm a bit overprotective of Natsu, as well as most of the others too. I saw how close he got with Lisanna. We all that she was gone for good. He would never admit it, but I could tell he was taking it the worst. Natsu's not the type to talk about his feelings. His pride gets in the way. That's what I believe anyway."

"I think I can see where you're going with this. When Lisanna was gone, it broke his heart..."

"Exactly. I don't know if I've ever seen him cry that much out of sadness. Anger, yes, but despair? It's rare, that's for sure."

Erza led Lucy to an empty poker table, sitting down on one of the stools. "I can only imagine how that must've felt. To have the person you love go away on a mission... And just never come back." Lucy sat next to her, tears starting to form.

Erza put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "No need for tears. Lisanna is back and Natsu is happy again." Lucy let a few tear drops fall. "If you ask me, I think he's found someone else. If circumstances had been different, perhaps Lisanna and Natsu would've wound up together. But that's not how fate works. Someone else filled that void. Not just that. Filled his entire being. Someone you know very well."

Lucy rubbed her eyes. She looked up at the older wizard, a new light of hope in her eyes. "You're right. As usual." She sniffled and started to crack up. "I want Natsu to love me back. I really do. But I don't want to force it on him."

"It's a bit late for that. With all of the shenanigans that keep happening, it's a wonder he hasn't noticed. Then again, it is Natsu we're talking about."

Lucy giggled. "I have an idea. Maybe I can get him to open up to me. We're going to see the meteor shower tonight. Maybe I can get him to tell me then."

"Be careful. There's no telling how he'll react. He's never talked to anyone about those things. Well, maybe Happy. But not another person that I know of."

Lucy stood suddenly. "Then I'll have to be the first. I'm determined now."

Erza nodded. "Like you said a minute ago. Don't force it on him. If he doesn't want to, just leave it be. He'll tell you when he's ready."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Erza." The older girl stood up. Immediately after, Lucy squeezed her with a hug.

Erza returned it. "You're welcome. And remember. Don't ever stop chasing."

Lucy beamed. She let go and walked off towards the room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Natsu took a chance with the elevator. A decision he'd come to regret. Wendy's Troia potion wore off a little while ago, meaning Natsu's motion sickness would return. To make matters worse, he was forced to ride it to the very top.

"I'm gonna... hurl..." he complained. The elevator dinged, signaling he reached his destined floor. Crawling on all fours, he dragged himself out, holding his mouth shut. "Torture..."

After a moments rest, he got to his feet. "Never doing that again." He walked towards his room, his mind still focused on the events beforehand. What did Erza want to talk to Lucy for? Hopefully, it wasn't something bad. He dreaded the thought of another shish-kebab attempt. She didn't seem pissed off, so that was a good sign.

He opened the door to his room, kicking it shut behind him. He gathered up a clean set of clothes, tucking them under his arm. The door to the bathroom had been repaired, a smooth, new doorknob waiting to be touched. Natsu walked in, this time taking in the bathroom for what it was.

"Whoa. This is one badass bathroom." He set his clothes by the sink. Afterwards, he undressed, stepping into the fancy shower. It had all sorts of knobs and buttons. Luckily for him, they were labeled. He did not want another run in with those creepy robot arms.

Natsu pushed and flipped a few switches, the water switching between different settings and temperatures. When he found his ideal setting, he proceeded to wash his hair and body. The warmth of the water made his tense muscles relax.

In the middle of lathering his hair with shampoo, a thought popped into his head. Lucy would get to the room pretty soon. What if she had similar thoughts like he did? Would she try to peak? Grinning mischievously, he wrapped up his shower, stepping out. He grabbed a towel and put around himself, walking over to the mirror. "She's gonna freak!" he said to himself.

Natsu heard the door to the room shut. Excitement creeping up, he grabbed the edges of his towel. "That you, Luce?" he called out.

"Yeah. You almost done in there?" she answered back.

"Just finished. You can come in if you want." Natsu prepared himself.

Lucy opened the door, caught completely off guard. Natsu whipped his towel off, letting his business out for viewing pleasure. "Natsu! Oh my god, your... thing is showing!" Lucy screamed, covering her eyes.

"Huh? What was that?" Natsu said, taunting the poor, blushing Lucy. "Are you embarrassed by seeing me naked?" He began to slowly walk towards her.

"What do you think? I didn't expect to walk in and see that flopping around! Put some clothes, you moron!"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you want to look." Natsu was getting gradually closer.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're the one that likes to peak." Lucy felt her fingers twitch. The truth was the thought of seeing Natsu's bare flesh was enough to drive her insane. His toned, muscular body without clothes. All she had to do was take her hands down.

Natsu stood a step away. He reached for Lucy's hands. "What do you think you're doing?" she retorted.

"Just relax." He removed her hands. They locked eyes. Lucy's face was flushed. Her eyes stayed focused on Natsu's. Any sudden movements might trigger an involuntary action and she really would get an eyeful. Natsu began to move in closer, much to Lucy's panic. His lips were a fingertip away from touching hers. Before contact, he moved to her ear. "It's really awkward seeing your best friend naked, isn't it? And you wanted to look. You're such a pervert, Luce." Natsu's tone was soft, but filled with sarcasm.

He let out a hearty laugh and shut the door. He threw his clothes on and went back to the door, opening it up again. Lucy was stiff as a board, red in the face, knees slightly shaking. "Um..."

"The shower's all yours." Natsu scooched passed, pinching Lucy's side to snap her out of it. "Hurry up, slow poke. We got a meteor shower to see."

"Oh! Uh... yeah. I'll hurry up." Lucy walked in and slammed the door shut, leaning against the frame. 'What was that all about? That isn't like Natsu at all.'

Shaking away her thoughts, Lucy began a similar routine to Natsu's. Although, her head was filled with a manner of risque images and more extravagant thoughts. She had to admit to herself. Even though she managed to wind up naked a bit more than most of her team, Gray being the only exception, seeing Natsu without clothes was a sight to behold.

After a short while, Natsu and Lucy were ready.

"It's about time. I was about to barge in there after you," Natsu joked.

"Please, I didn't even take that long. You just wanted another look at me, didn't you?"

"You wanna go there? I think I've spent too much time around Gray. These pants feel really uncomfortable now." Natsu stuck his thumbs on his waist band.

"No no no, please no!" Lucy stammered. 'If I saw him like that again... I'm not sure what I'd do.'

Natsu snickered. "That's what I thought. Come on, Luce. It's going to start any minute now!"

"Yeah. I don't want to miss it!"

The two wizards hurried out the door, Lucy grabbing her purse on the way out. They got to the elevator, Lucy reaching for the potion. "Here, take a sip."

"Oh yeah. Almost forgot." Natsu did as he was told, taking a quick gulp. "I hope this stuff will keep working. It's a lifesaver."

Lucy capped the bottle, tucking back in her purse. "If you use it too much, your body will become tolerant to it. Just like with the normal Troia spell. It doesn't even affect you anymore."

The elevator reached their floor. They climbed on, pressed the button for the ground floor and started their descent down. The potion hadn't fully taken affect. Natsu grabbed Lucy's shoulder. "Oh man... I forgot it takes a minute... I'm gonna be sick..."

"You better not barf on my clean shirt!"

The elevator dinged to a halt, the two wizards getting off. It was already dark outside, perfect weather for star gazing. The lobby and casino areas were still bustling, customers scurrying by with handfuls of money and prize chips. "Alright, I think I'm fine now. Where do we need to go exactly?" Natsu questioned.

Lucy took out the pamphlet. "Let's see. Says here the West Courtyard is the place. We only have like ten minutes to get there so hurry it up!"

"Alright! In that case, come one!" Natsu toted Lucy on his shoulder and ran westward.

"Excuse me! I can walk, you know?"

"Don't trouble yourself! You're too slow. With me carrying you, we'll make it with plenty of time!"

Lucy was about to object further, but ultimately let it happen. Giving her aching feet a rest wasn't such a bad thing. If Natsu wanted to wear himself out, she wasn't going to stop him.

Natsu swerved in and out of throngs of people, narrowly missing a person each time. After he made it outside, he sprinted forward, grinning like a mad man. "Natsu, slow down! My skirt is going crazy!"

"Relax, no one's looking. We're almost there already!"

Actually, someone was looking. Gray and Juvia were walking in the same direction. Gray turned at the right opportunity to catch an eyeful of Lucy's lacy undergarments. "Uh... where are they going?"

"You shouldn't concern yourself with that blonde bimbo! It's just you and me! Besides, who wears such questionable underwear normally?"

Natsu put Lucy down in front of the walkway, Lucy's hair sticking up in random spots. "Told you we'd make it."

Lucy stood on jelly legs, grabbing Natsu's arm to keep from falling over. "Next time, warn me before you do that again."

Natsu giggled, walking forward. "Nice hairdo."

"What?" Lucy freaked, taking out a brush. In a few seconds, her rat's nest was back to perfection. "There. Better?"

"Doesn't matter to me. I think you're beautiful no matter how your hair looks."

Without realizing his comment, Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and began walking down the path. It was lined with tall, low-light posts and fragrant flowers of different colors. A small fountain off to the right spewed fresh water that trickled down into a rocky waterfall. Various species of goldfish swam in the shallow pond, lights shining and alternating hues flickered in the water.

The light turned a deep red. Almost as red as Lucy's face. 'Natsu... called me beautiful.' Her heart was beating a million beats a minute. Even though she'd been called pretty all her life, hearing it from Natsu was different. On a second thought, he used a greater word. _Beautiful._ Without warning, a vine of fear snagged her hope. What if Natsu only noticed her because of how she looked? It wouldn't be so hard to believe upon deeper inspection. He had seen her baring it all before. Hoping she didn't come off as vain, she realized how proud of herself she was. Face and body, eyes and curves, legs and feet. Then again, she did attract some unwanted attention from scumbags. If Natsu was just another guy looking for an attractive piece of eye candy, could she really see herself with someone like that?

"Hey, Natsu to Lucy. We're here," Natsu said, snapping her out of her inward rambling. "It's really dark out. You can see all the stars you want!"

Lucy was too distracted by her doubts to notice how mesmerizing the sky looked. Clusters upon clusters of stars twinkled, the constellations clearly visible to those who knew them. "Whoa. The sky looks amazing."

"Let's go sit down. I think I see an empty bench over there."

Before he could take a step, Lucy grabbed his arm. "Hold on. Let's sit up on the hill over there," she said, pointing to a large hill off to the back.

"If that's what you want." Natsu walked over to the grassy knoll, Lucy close behind, her head still stuck on her previous inner rambling. "I don't get it. How can it be this dark over here? The resort is just like right over there."

Lucy gazed up at the sky, taking in the sight. She'd seen the night sky plenty of times, but tonight felt different. She was too busy doubting to remember how anxious she was. A meteor shower with the guy she liked. Talk about the perfect scenario. "They probably have a magic barrier or something. Wouldn't surprise me."

"Makes sense to me. I forget how smart you can be, Luce." He smiled at her and leaned back on the partially steep slant. "Don't just stand there. Sit down."

"Oh. Right." She sat next to the fire wizard, taking a moment to calm her thoughts. Natsu wasn't the type that looked at appearance as anything special. Erza's been naked in front of him before. Didn't seem to phase him that much. But still, a bit of reassurance never hurt.

Natsu tried keep his attention focused on the stars, but the girl beside him seemed to rival the sky's beauty. "Wow," he accidentally whispered out.

Lucy heard him and looked over. When the two locked eyes, Lucy's heart accelerated. "Uh... Something wrong, Natsu?" she asked shyly.

"Oh, uh... I don't know. It's just. You look amazing." No matter what happened now, Natsu would be satisfied simply by looking at the blonde.

Lucy's face instantly flushed. Her already escalating heartbeat would surely crack a rib. That was the second time Natsu had complimented her. "Th-thank you." She was at a loss for words.

The two remained caught in each other's gaze for the next few minutes. Lucy kept glancing around, but ultimately shot back to Natsu's glassy orbs. Lucy was a few seconds away from cracking under the tension when a light flashed in the sky.

"Did you see that?" Lucy asked. "I think it's starting."

Natsu looked to the sky. What he saw next put him in a state of awe. Little strings of light flew across the sky. Nothing super spectacular, but just enough to keep the average person interested. A blue light passed, moving slower than the others. It was bigger than the rest, which meant more light.

Lucy's frustration peaked. She looked over at Natsu, about to empty her feelings. Before she could, Natsu enveloped her in a warm embrace. She was shocked at first, but that didn't last long. She returned the hug, her eyes on the verge of watering.

"Lucy, I... "

"Wait. Don't say anything." Lucy pulled away, her fingers trembling. "I have to know."

Natsu scrunched his eyebrows. "Know what?"

Lucy's anxiety reached its breaking point. "Damn it, Natsu. I have to know what is you're after. I thought of something earlier and it makes too much sense to just pass up. What is it you see in me?"

Natsu felt a sudden burst of panic. "Uh, wait a minute. I'm sorry if I did anything! I was only teasing, I swear."

"What? What do you mean only teasing?"

"About the whole naked thing. I was only trying to tease you. Honestly I was."

Lucy felt her heart tighten up. Maybe she had heard him wrong. "Let me get this straight. The whole time since you saw me naked, you were teasing me?"

"Wait, what? No, that's not it all. I meant when I kept acting like I was going to strip and stuff! I would never tease you if you were naked! Well, unless you wanted that, I don't know."

Lucy's determination turned to rage. "Are you freaking serious right now? I ask you to tell me what you're thinking and you say something like that? Man, I must really be stupid to think you were any different than all the other guys. And honestly, yeah, I fell for you. I must really be a naive little girl." Lucy got up and stomped off, leaving Natsu heartbroken.

"But... I didn't even get to tell you my feelings..." Natsu whispered back.


End file.
